The Darkest Hour
by sailorfan1199
Summary: Sequel to Prelude To Destiny. Queen Serenity struggles to create an ideal society. Her hopes and dreams may fall apart before they ever have a chance to begin. The Sailor Senshi have made preperations for war, but Serenity still holds on to hope that she can save everyone without blood shed.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Sailor Moon, or anything related to Sailor Moon. I am writing a fan fiction based on the characters and ideas of Naoko Takeuchi. This disclaimer applies to all chapters of this story.

Chapter 1

Serenity made her way to the center podium, slowly and deliberately. Her white gown matched her long flowing white hair, rolled up into small buns on top of her head; the usual style that she so loved. She no longer went by Usagi as that was her daughter's name now. She approached the wooden stand that sat in the center of the large room. Looking around at all the delegates from other countries, leaders of the world and peacekeepers sat shoulder to shoulder waiting for her to address the crowd. The members of the United Nations met with her once a month to receive reports on her progress of Crystal Tokyo and planetary defenses.

It had been eight years since she defeated Koji, eight years to prepare for The Dark Moon Kingdom to attack. Eight years of politics and dealing with greedy leaders hoping to obtain technology to better their own countries. Some places in the world the Crystal Kingdom had given this technology to, others she was weary to share with.

"Queen Serenity" The delegate from Spain spoke, breaking the silence since she had taken the podium. Her interpreter spoke quickly into the ear piece she was wearing as she didn`t know Spanish. Sol used to do this for her as he had quite the ear for language. She missed his animated translations as opposed to the stiff explanations she got now. But having him as her interpreter took away his free time with Makoto, so she agreed to have someone else do it. "You told us this Dark Moon army would attack Earth. They were supposed to attack three years ago. Tell us, did you cause panic throughout the entire planet on purpose to make yourself seem more important?" He was always like this, always attacking her character. Years of dealing with people like him had made Serenity's once warm blue eyes turn to a steal gaze. A low muttering began to rumble through the UN after his accusation.

"You have always been one to attack my character Mr. Ruez. But wouldn't it still be better to err on the side of caution?" The strength in her voice as it echoed through the large chamber was matched by the strength behind her crystal blue eyes. The muttering stopped and the room was once again silent. Mr. Ruez had an angry look on his face as he opened his mouth again.

"Tell me why again, is it that we address her as a Queen? Why is _she _given so much power, and have access to such advanced technology that only _she _deems who can and cannot have it?" Delegates from countries that supported Ruez's views erupted into a frenzy, asking why, screaming for answers. Serenity slowly let her gaze travel around the room, letting them spew their hate toward her. She was no stranger to this kind of treatment. It was a shock at first, people hating her for having ideals, but she soon grew out of it, steeling her resolve against those who only thought about themselves. She waited patiently for them to calm down before responding. When they finally did, she forced herself to stand taller, trying to look more intimidating.

"First of all, this technology is from my Kingdom, there for it is my right to decide who gets it and who doesn't. Mr. Ruez, your country has proven time and again that they are willing to go to war. You have been denied access to this technology because we fear you would turn it into a weapon. Every other country that has been denied access falls under this category as well." She paused and looked over the room quickly, waiting for a retort. When none came she continued, her voice full of conviction. "I have this power because I help people. People who needed it the most were addressed first. Tell me Mr. Ruez, when was the last time this planet has experienced eight years of peace?" She directed her cold blue stare directly at him and watched in satisfaction as he began to fidget under her relentless gaze. "An entire generation is growing up not knowing what the word 'starvation' means. Children no longer suffer in Third World countries, because Third World countries no longer exist. Literacy is at an all time high because all children have access to an education. My Crystal Kingdom went and accepted these people who were suffering and gave them this technology so they could become self sufficient and wouldn't need to rely on aid support any longer." The other members of the UN sat in silence as she finished. The American ambassador stood after a short time and addressed her with politeness.

"What if these people do come and attack? Given that you've stated they are capable of long distance space travel it would be safe to assume their own technology surpasses our own. Would it not be in our best interest to share what resources we have so we can all fight if necessary?" She liked Mr. Andrews; he was a very calm and kind person who always brought up good points for debate. It wasn't that she didn't doubt his intentions; she doubted his government's intentions. Luckily, Ami had developed a field generator, similar to the one that had surrounded the Palace before Aksuna tore it down. The other members began to mutter amongst themselves again after hearing the question. Serenity let her cold stare soften before addressing Mr. Andrews.

"We have set up safe zones where people can take refuge in the event they go for a full scale global attack. Our own Dr. Mizuno has developed long range sensors to pick up any incoming attackers that would give everyone enough time to get to the safe zones."

"But how would we fight them?" Mr. Andrews pressed. The now Queen let her head drop as the question brought up memories of fighting Koji. A small strand of white hair fell over her shoulder and she tucked it back neatly behind her ear. She raised her head and looked straight at Mr. Andrews.

"We don't intend to fight. We want to welcome them here and show that we have compassion for what they've been through." The chamber of the UN erupted as world leaders fumed at her response. So many people were shouting at once that she couldn't hear any single accusation that spewed from their mouths. She waited for everyone to calm down, but they only got louder. Scanning the faces before her, she recalled the hate that the riots had caused, not just in Tokyo, but all over the world. Because of what Koji had started. Countless families had been torn apart, loved ones killed during the days of those riots. Many countries had fallen into martial law because of the increasing danger to its own citizens. After Queen Serenity had cleansed the world, everyone was grateful and gladly accepted her as a member of the UN. _But how quickly we forget the pain that fighting can bring. _No one was showing any signs of calming down so the Queen took matters into her own hands.

"_That is enough!" _Her voice carried through the large theatre like room easily. The way the desks were stacked in rows helped sound carry upwards and her voice reached every ear in the chamber. "War brings nothing but sorrow."

"Than why do you have your own army?" She didn't see who asked the question, only heard it. It was true; Neo Queen Serenity now had an army of soldiers. Not one she had wanted, but soon after cleansing the planet, people started showing up at the palace and pledging their allegiance to her. She had no idea that people would keep coming. All of the people that came had lost something or someone during the riots, and they vowed to fight for those that didn't have the strength to fight for themselves. She admired their courage and their resolve and had seen broken and battered people transform themselves into something more. These weren't just soldiers, they were a family now, a family that wanted and needed to protect others from suffering the same pain they had gone through.

"Yes I have an army, I won't deny that. But don't forget that my army is what you would call unarmed. We have no guns or explosives of any kind. They are trained to fight a different kind of enemy. They will not attack any person under any circumstances." Other members continued to grumble but most accepted her explanation. The President of the UN cleared her voice, trying to get everyone's attention. The first attempt was unsuccessful, so she cleared her voice again, much more deliberately. Satisfied she had the floor, she addressed Queen Serenity.

"Let us not forget why we are here. This assembly isn't to determine whether or not Queen Serenity is establishing an army of her own or what her views are of world politics. We ask her to come once a month to give progress reports of the advancement of Crystal Tokyo as there has never been a society such as this. Now, if you would continue with the matter at hand Your Highness." She was an older woman with wisps of grey in her hair around the temples. Serenity couldn't place her age exactly but she often found herself wishing for some of the respect this woman commanded. She had hoped her own hair turning white would have people look at her differently, not some child with a Kingdom, but the ageless affect of Crystal Tokyo hadn't done her any favours in these circles. Most still viewed her as nothing more than an irresponsible teenager because of how young she looked. In truth, she still looked like she had in junior high, but the fact is she was a woman now.

"Thank you Mrs. President. As most of you know last month we initiated our no currency policy. For the last thirty days, citizens of Crystal Tokyo have enjoyed a society where there is no such thing as money."

"But Queen Serenity" the delegate from the United Kingdom was addressing her this time, her ear piece a buzz with the translator's voice. "How can you have a society without any kind of currency? What about the costs of using energy? Growing and shipping food? How are business supposed to run without customers paying for anything?" She had grown accustomed to being interrupted at these meetings, but it did nothing for her temper. With an effort, she calmed herself before replying.

"We have no need for taxing the citizens for such things as infrastructure as the crystal used to build everything is almost indestructible." A flash of Koji's monstrous hand tearing through the floor at the Crystal Palace passed through her mind. "So costs to maintain roads and water pipes are none existent. The crystal generators used to power the city are recharged almost every night by lunar light. This ensures a constant renewable energy source that again, comes at basically no cost. We have developed agricultural techniques to ensure that we are self sufficient with our food. Before initiating our no currency model we held a vote by the people. Almost a unanimous decision to get rid of money was the result. If you need some groceries, you go to the grocery store and pick some up. This model has also drastically reduced theft in our society. People are beginning to understand that material possessions mean nothing. Families spend more time together and have been ridden of the burden that comes with a nation based solely around the concept of money. People trade actual goods and services to get what they want, not a paper currency that a government has established. In short, the quality of life in Crystal Tokyo is far above that than any other society on the planet, and it is my mission to see that money is abolished in every country in the world."

"Well good luck with that!" Mr. Ruez spat at her, his face boiling red with anger. She met his furious stare with an icy blue of her own, unable to contain her own anger rising up inside her.

"All the leaders that sit here today will be gone by a generation. I will still be alive due to the effects of Crystal Tokyo and a new generation will replace the greedy one that exists today." She spoke quickly and angrily, trying to get out her rage before being interrupted again. "That generation will be the ones to help me achieve my goals, not this one that is so deeply rooted, and revolves around the concept of money. Your children will see what I have created and long for the same. When they come to power I will accept them with open arms. A brand new world is waiting, can you feel it? Your idea of how the world works is dying Mr. Ruez." As soon as she finished delegates from other countries were yelling and screaming, she half expected to see one or two foaming at the mouth by the way they were acting suddenly. Perhaps she shouldn't have said what she did, but she was tired of dealing with bureaucrats who thought nothing of her just because she was so young. It was time to make a stand.

Calmly, Serenity made her way down away from the podium. Others were still angry at her, demanding answers, but she had had enough. She locked eyes with the President of the UN quickly, and was relieved to see the older woman smiling in her direction. It was a short walk to the door that lead out of the large chamber, she wasn't going to wait to be dismissed today. Pushing the large heavy steel door open her white gown swished as she walked through a long empty corridor, lit by florescent lights. As she approached an intersecting hallway she could hear muttered voices coming from around the corner. She peeked her head past the wall to see who was there and was delighted to be greeted by the smiling face of her seven year old daughter.

"Mama!" She called out to Serenity, getting to her feet and rushing over to give her mother a hug around the knees. Serenity bent down to pick her up, looking into her daughters red eyes. She hadn't known it at the time, but she was pregnant with little Usagi when she fought Koji. Ami theorized that all the power surging through her from the Crystal Palace is what turned her eyes red and hair pink. Most people when they met her thought she dyed her hair and wore red contacts, but those were in fact natural. Other possible effects of all that power coursing through her tiny body were starting to become evident. Her wisdom and empathy was well beyond that of a regular seven year old girl, even more so than some adults.

"We heard people yelling from inside that room. Are they mad at you mama?" Chibi-Usa asked innocently. Serenity smiled at her young daughter, nuzzling her nose against the tiny nose in front of her.

"No honey, they aren't mad at me. They're just grumpy because they are old and need a nap." The other woman that was accompanying Chibi-Usa stood and bowed deeply towards Serenity.

"Your Majesty, Small Lady and I were engaged a game of pretend tea drinking. I was having Earl Gray." She said in a monotonous matter-of-fact voice. Still bowed deeply, Serenity put her hand on the other woman's shoulder, letting her know to stand at ease.

"Thank you Veronika. I always know she is in good hands when I leave her with you." Serenity replied gratefully. Veronika stood straight up to her full height, which wasn't much taller than her own. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a pony tail that ended between her shoulder blades. A narrow face with high cheek bones and soft brown eyes that could turn deadly sharp at the drop of a pin, the woman's demeanor was always stiff and straight forward. She wore a black suit jacket with matching pants, looking more like a Secret Service agent than anything else. She was part of the Queens army, having moved up through the ranks quickly becoming Field Commander of Sailor Mars' battalion. Each Senshi had their own field commanders, and Veronika was regarded as possibly the best. During the World Riots, she was subjected to horrors Serenity couldn't imagine. Coming from a small Eastern European village, she had little chance of evading attackers. Once Serenity had caught a glimpse of Veronika's back while she was changing her shirt, and was mortified to see it was riddled with scars, long and deep wounds gouged out of her flesh. She had asked Veronika what had happened, and the other woman only responded with "That was in another life. You have given me a new life which I would gladly lay down before you, my Queen." Hearing such words come from another person, to know she had gone through such horrors to disregard her own life in such a way had pained Serenity's heart. She had held the taller woman, crying with body shaking sobs, telling her she was sorry. Veronika replied by saying she had saved her, had given her a reason to continue on in this life.

Remembering the moment the two women shared brought a tear to Serenity's eye, and the ever observant Veronika noted it immediately.

"Your Majesty, is there someone inside those chambers that hurt you?" She had bent her knees slightly, and turned her shoulders towards the doors Serenity had just come from, ready to attack. The woman was fiercely protective of Serenity and all the other Senshi. They had become her saviours when she had given up on life and she would die to keep them from harm. Serenity calmly placed her hand on Veronika's shoulder again, speaking softly to someone she considered a dear friend.

"No, it's nothing like that Veronika. Come, we have a flight to catch back to Crystal Tokyo, tomorrow is a big day for everyone." Chibi-Usa's face lit up with a wide smile, showing a toothy grin.

"It's the Festival of Light tomorrow, right Mama?"Serenity found the young girls excitement contagious and couldn't contain her own large smile.

"Yes, Small Lady. We wouldn't want to miss the Festival of Light. Veronkia, let's make our way to the air port and catch the next flight to Crystal Tokyo."

"As you command." The other woman gestured toward the glass doors that led to the outside world where a taxi would be waiting for a new fare. The trio made their way merrily away from the bickering of the selfish world leaders.

**A/N: **Sorry if this first chapter is kind of dry. Also before people start giving me a hard time, I know Serenity and Endymion were living in Crystal Tokyo for like a thousand years before the Dark Moon Kingdom attacked. That was in the manga. In the anime, a timeline was never specified and it has been speculated that Chibi-Usa was only five when the Dark Moon Kingdom story arc took place. So I'm basing it around that, and not around the manga's story line. I hope you enjoyed this first, kinda boring chapter in the sequel to Prelude To Destiny.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The afternoon sun beamed into the small greenhouse filled with flowers of every colour. The boxed flower beds were bursting with life, beautiful blooms in every bunch. Makoto wiped sweat from her brow with the back of a gloved hand having just finished pruning a vibrant purple chrysanthemum. The sweat seemed to have escaped from the dirty white scarf she wore around her head, keeping her hair back and stopping sweat from getting in her eyes. Satisfied the small plant in front of her was looking sharp, she stood up and placed her hands on her hips. She wore a slim fitting heavily used apron atop a long yellow dress that was adorned with small birds, fluttering in every direction. Her little flower shop had become quite popular with people in the neighbourhood, and most came in to say hello each day while she ran the daily errands. Now that Serenity had abolished any kind of currency, Makoto was much busier trying to keep up with the demand people had for giving flowers to loved ones. Not that she minded at all, she was never in it for the money. The joy of knowing someone was going to surprise their loved one with flowers was more than enough of a reward for the work she had done.

She was about to fill the large green watering can when the bell to the front door chimed, announcing a visitor. Placing the container on the floor where she stood, quickly making her way to the front of her store. A young teenage boy was standing just inside the doorway, wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. He looked confused as he ran a hand through his dark brown hair. _He must be about fourteen _Makoto thought to herself, removing the gloves she was wearing and tucking them into a pocket in the front of her apron. _Although, I don't look much older. _

"Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked cheerily. The young boy opened his mouth, but couldn't form any words at first.

"Um..." He stammered, running his hand through his hair again. "See the thing is I want to get some flowers, for my girlfriend. But I don't know what kind of flowers she likes." He lowered his eyes towards the floor as he finished speaking; sounding ashamed that he didn't know what she preferred.

"Well you can never go wrong with roses." Makoto offered, gesturing to a large bouquet of red roses with yellow lilies and purple daisies for adornment. He looked to where she gestured and his eyes went from disappointed to hopeful.

"Yeah, those look nice." He agreed, coming closer to the stand that held the bouquets. He picked it up and lifted the flowers to his nose. "Smells nice too." He said smiling. Makoto couldn't help but let out a quick laugh at the boys behaviour.

"Do you want me to wrap them up for you?" Makoto asked, assuming he had found something he liked.

"No thanks, these are great the way they are. Thank you very much; I'm sure my girl will love them." Before Makoto could offer a reply, the door swung open, ringing the bell again. Looking towards the door she saw Maria, a young woman who managed the shop during afternoon and evening hours, looking flustered as always. Her dark hair was a mess, probably from rushing over to the store and she breathed heavily, relying in the door handle to keep her upright.

"I'm sorry I'm late again Makoto-" she began, but Makoto put her hand up, palm out towards the other woman, stopping her from explaining further.

"How many times have I told you Maria? I don't care if you're running late. It's not like I hate being here. When you are running late, just take you r time. Honestly, one of these days you'll end up hurting yourself trying to get here when it doesn't really matter what time you show up." She began to untie her apron as she spoke, folding it carefully and making her way behind the counter. She opened a drawer and placed the folded apron inside. "I was just about to do the watering rounds when this young man showed up." She gestured to the boy, still standing with the flowers in his hand. "So if you need anything else, Maria would be happy to assist you." Makoto walked out from behind the counter and crossed the small shop towards the rack that held the bouquets. She grabbed one that was similar to what the other boy had just decided on and made her way to the door, still being held open by Maria. "I'm off now, have a good night Maria." She said with a smile, pulling the sweaty scarf off her head nd throwing it on the counter just inside. Without a backwards glance to see the other woman's reaction, she walked out into the warm afternoon sun.

Leaning up against the shop wall was her bright green bicycle that she rode to work every day. She enjoyed the leisurely freedom it provided to that of cars, and like she said to Maria almost every day, there was no need to rush. The frame was built for a girl, the main support bar running low to keep a skirt from riding up too high. She was glad she had gotten a bike with this feature as she wore skirts almost every day now. The white walled tires gave her bike a nostalgic feel and was almost romantic to her. Because she enjoyed riding more than speed and efficiency, she opted for a fixed gear bicycle instead of one that shifted gears. The streamlined look of a fixed gear gave her only mode of transportation a timeless style that never got old in her eyes. _All I need now is a bottle of champagne and some cheese. Maybe a trip to Paris... _

Gently, she placed the flowers inside the basket that hung off the handle bars in the front. Stepping over the bar she found the pedal with her foot and pushed off down the sidewalk, enjoying the warm summer air rush through her hair. She already knew her destination and made her way through the crystal streets of the city. _Tomorrow is the Festival of Light, so that means Sol is probably visiting his parents. _The Festival of Light commemorated the cleansing that Sailor Moon had done eight years ago. The day before the festival, Sol would stand in front of their tombstones, not saying anything, just staring at the names written on the granite slabs.

The bicycles tires rode easily over the smooth surface of the crystal and she made good time, weaving and turning towards her destination. It wasn't long before she came to the gated entrance of the graveyard that was a resting place for Sol's parents. Throwing her leg over the cross bar, she dismounted the bike and leaned it against the brick wall that held up the iron bars of the arched gateway. She grabbed the bouquet before pushing the old heavy bars open and started walking down the cobblestone path that led deeper into the graveyard. Large oak trees on either side of the path created a shaded canopy and provided some respite from the heat of the sun. Tombstones were placed at even intervals along the path giving the green eyed woman an eerie feeling of unease. Makoto walked out from under the shaded area, squinting her eyes against the bright light. When her eyes adjusted to the change, she could see Sol standing, alone, in front a single large tombstone.

His long black trench coat swayed in the light breeze as did his unkempt hair. The sandy blonde locks had grown just past his lower jaw, and he was constantly brushing the light hair away from his face. She walked slowly towards him, contemplating what she would say. Normally she never came here, wanting to give him time alone, but today she felt different for some reason she couldn't explain. Approaching him quietly from behind, she gently placed the flowers at the foot of the tombstone. Standing back up to her full height, she locked eyes with the man she had fallen in love with. His hazel eyes were more blue than green today and he offered a small smile. Taking his left hand in her right as she stood beside him, she traced the long thin scars on his hand with her index finger. The scars were a constant reminder of what his father had become, a constant reminder of the deep loss he had suffered on that fateful day the Senshi had awoken the world from a thousand year slumber. She recalled the way he attacked what had been his father, the way he had disregarded his own life, set on only one thing. Revenge. Makoto doubted she had ever seen such rage in anyone before and just thinking of it brought a tear to her eye.

"My mom would have liked those." The tall Irish man offered after some time of silence. She took her eyes away from his hand and looked at his face. She could see he was holding back tears so she gently reached up and took his face in her hands, making him face her.

"You don't need to blame yourself for this Sol. You can forgive yourself." She pleaded with earnest. When he spoke, it was barely a whisper and she had to strain her ears to hear.

"But I couldn't save them. I should have been able to, but I was powerless."

"You're allowed to think of the people you save Sol." He broke away from her stare and seemed to contemplate what she had just told him. "If it weren't for you, Rei-chan would have died that day. And what about the countless others you helped protect when Serenity defeated Koji? I'm not saying you need to forget about your parents, but you are allowed to forgive yourself and remember those you helped." She felt his now muscular arms wrap around her torso and pull her closer. He buried his nose into the top of her hair, something he did often as a sign of affection.

"You're right. You're always right. How did I get so lucky to find such an amazing woman as you?" He finished, pulling back and smiling at her. "C'mon, we better hurry or we'll be late for afternoon drills." He released his arms from around her, and with a small amount effort she let him lead her away from the grave. "Did you ride your bike here?" He asked once they were close to the exit. Makoto nodded, thinking it was pretty obvious, she rode her bike everywhere. A mischievous grin suddenly appeared on his face as he rushed ahead of her, opening the gate quickly and locating her bicycle.

"You ride in the basket." Sol yelled back to her, already seating himself.

"I don't think so." Makoto protested with her hands on her hips. "That is my bike, _you _get in the basket."

"Alright, if you want to run all the way to the Palace, be my guest." He replied sarcastically as he started to pedal off slowly. "Or you can get in the basket and let me be your chariot of fire." He glanced back, his eyes full of playfulness. Makoto couldn't keep her amusement contained, letting herself smile as she hiked her skirt up and jogged to where he had stopped.

"Only this once, my prince in shining armour." She replied in a noble accent, playing along as she hopped up into the basket on the front of her handle bars.

"Alas, be still my beating heart." Sol began as he pushed off hard, throwing her back into his solid frame while he quickly picked up speed. Makoto couldn't help but laugh and reached behind her head to caress his face. "Come my valiant stead, we must get this princess to her destination post haste!" She laughed even harder at the terrible accent he was trying to imitate, but failed miserably at.

"It's a good thing you never got into stage acting." Makoto teased feeling a small amount of stubble on his normally smooth skin. _I could get used to a five-o-clock shadow. _The breeze flowed through Makoto's hair, and it was times like these that she truly loved life. Watching the buildings rush past, people going about their business, preparing for tomorrow's Festival of Light. It wasn't long before they were on the Palace grounds, riding through the once empty space now filled with mostly barracks for the many people who had enlisted to serve the new Queen. One building in particular was much bigger than the rest with only a single door leading inside. From the outside it looked like any other crystal structure on the compound, but as Sol and Makoto passed she caught a glimpse of the other Senshi waiting patiently for her arrival.

"Sol, drop me off at the Gym."

"Aye aye." He replied, turning sharply in the direction of the large building. She had to reach back and steady herself against his solid arms or else she risked tumbling out of the basket. He approached slowly, seeing the other women waiting by the door. "It's my fault she's late. I couldn't keep my hands off her." He joked coming to a stop.

"Oh shut up Sol" Makoto scoffed, hoping down out of the basket "Can you leave my bike by the entrance to the Palace?"

"Aye aye." He replied, saluting her stiffly before turning to ride off away from them.

"Honestly, he is such an ass sometimes." The brown haired girl said to her three friends, already transformed into their Senshi forms.

"Well, you are his superior here, and he recognizes that." Mercury defended. Makoto let herself transform as well, no longer needing to say an incantation as she could do it at will now. Her long yellow dress disappeared and was replaced with a short green skirt instead.

"Alright, let's do this." Venus exclaimed excitedly. They walked through the small entrance into what was known as the Gym. This building was different from all the others on the complex because it was where the Senshi trained. The walls were triple enforced, meaning they were three times as thick as any other crystal wall on the complex except for some rooms in the Palace. They trained together almost every day to learn each other's strengths and weaknesses, learning more about each other's fighting style so when they day came that they needed to fight, they could work flawlessly as a team. Jupiter was the last to enter and she pulled the heavy door closed behind and almost immediately Venus attacked her. She dodged it easily, knowing her friend was holding back for their warm up. _Today, I'll be the last one standing for sure! _Jupiter thought to herself preparing a counter attack.

-/-*-\-

The men's locker room was bustling with people getting ready for afternoon drills. Sol was almost dressed when his locker door was slammed shut, startling him.

"Are you ready to sweat your balls off today bud?" A deep voice said in one of the strangest Japanese accents Sol had ever heard. Speaking Japanese was the only requirement to join The Queens Guard. The man who had slammed his locker shut was a full head taller than Sol. He had short blonde hair and grey blue eyes. Square jawed, with a permanent grin plastered on his face, most mistook him for a slacker. But in reality, he was probably the most talented Field Commander of the four. The only one who could match his skill was Veronika and today she was on leave with the Queen.

"How many times have I told you not to slam my locker door Brook?" He called himself Kid Brooklyn and never gave any other name. Whoever he was before coming to join the Crystal Kingdom was dead. _Let those demons lie where they rest _was the only response Sol had ever gotten when inquiring about his past.

"How many times have I told you about these guns?" Kid Brooklyn asked in return, flexing his arms as a grin spread wider across his face. Sol chortled lightly, opening his locker again to finish getting ready. Kid Brooklyn had quickly become Sol's friend after joining and was one of the first to pledge his allegiance to the Queen. With a hard work ethic and an incredible athletic talent, he had quickly worked his way through the ranks, becoming the first official Field Commander under Sailor Venus.

"Listen Brook, I don't have time to mess around today. You know how much Tokiyama likes to ride me and if I'm late again, he'll make me run double drills today."

"Pfft!" Kid Brooklyn spat "Tokiyama is a blow hard! Just challenge him already and become Field Commander of Rolling Thunder." Each Senshi had a battalion of soldiers they commanded, and each battalion had given themselves a nickname. Sol was under Jupiter's battalion, naturally. Sailor Mars' battalion was known as the Priesthood with Veronika as File Commander. Sailor Mercury's battalion was known as the Mercs with a man affectionately known as Oakley as Field Commander. Last but not least, Sailor Venus' battalion was known as the Cutie Raiders. Minako fiercely denied having any involvement with the name, but Sol had his suspicions. Almost all the other soldiers in her battalion were against the name until Kid Brooklyn himself challenged them all. If anyone could defeat him, they would pick another name. Most the soldiers knew they stood no chance against him so they had the three best fight Kid Brooklyn. He fought them all at the same time and none of the three could even land a blow. After that, Kid Brooklyn was regarded as the best until Veronika showed up. Now people were divided on who was better, Kid Brooklyn or Veronika.

"Ahem" a deep voice cleared his throat behind Kid Brooklyn. He stepped aside to reveal none other than Tokiyama himself. The man was short and stocky, all muscle and built like a truck. The only Field Commander of Japanese descent, he took great pride in being one rank under Sailor Jupiter. He was also the least liked of all Field Commanders. "Once again the slacker is seen fraternizing with petty soldiers. Honestly _Kid Brooklyn _when will you take your role of a leader seriously. Those under you need to have the utmost respect for your authority and when they see you constantly engaging with soldiers such as... Him, they begin to see you as nothing more than one of their own. Thus, you lose that respect." Kid Brooklyn had started fuming as soon as Tokiyama had said his name and was now only inches from the other man's face.

"You wanna talk about what it means to be a leader?" Kid Brooklyn growled at the shorter man. "That's rich coming from the guy who sees his subordinates as nothing more than pieces on a chess board and has no actual intention of leading the charge? Let me tell you something about what it means to be a _leader! _The person who commands the troops should exemplify everything they want to be. He should laugh loudest, and fight the hardest to spark a burning passion inside their hearts so those men and women will strive for something greater. The people under me are more than just numbers, they are my brothers and sisters and I would throw myself on a sword for anyone of them. _That's _respect. What you try and do is lead through fear." A small crowd had gathered to watch the exchange and almost every head in the room was nodding in agreement.

"Tch!" was the only response Tokiyama provided before turning his back and walking away. Kid Brooklyn reeled around quickly, facing Sol, his grin back on his face.

"Man I hate that guy." He groaned.

"You know, for someone who's always goofing off, you can say some thing's with pretty deep meaning." Sol admitted honestly. This wasn't the first time Kid Brooklyn had impressed him with one of his speeches. It was qualities like that that people followed him so easily. He waved his hand, brushing off the compliment like it was an everyday occurring.

"Honestly Sol, you should just kick his ass. I know you can beat that guy easily." Kid Brooklyn moaned again. There was only three ways a Field Commander could be relieved of that position. First was a battle decided through combat. Any cadet could challenge any Field Commander to a duel. If the cadet won, they were then put through trails designed by the Senshi to measure their battlefield ability. Cadets who challenged Field Commanders rarely made it this far. Second was if one of the Senshi deemed her own Field Commander was unfit to perform their duties anymore, and would be relieved if necessary. Lastly was through death.

"What makes you think i can beat him so easily? Tokiyama is one of the best here with a sword and he's unmatched in battle tactics."

"Don't play coy with me Sol" Kid Brooklyn pressed. "I've seen you spare with Jupiter. You two go at really early in the morning, before most people are up. All of the Field Commanders don't last five seconds against any of their respective Senshi. But I've seen it with my own eyes Sol. You and Jupiter were fighting for a solid ten minutes before she floored you. When are you going to break the chains that bind you and set the fire free man?" He finished by placing his fist over Sol's heart. _Break my chains. _When the Queens Guard was first being established, Sol told himself it would be unfair for him to use his full power to become a Field Commander. So during testing and drills, he had never once tapped into the gift the Silver Crystal had granted him eight years ago. He wanted to earn his place with his own power. But he quickly found out how powerless he was without the added effects of the Silver Crystal.

"I don't want that kind of responsibility" he lied. In truth, he deeply wanted to be a Field Commander. But it felt like cheating to attain it like that.

"You know, more than half of Rolling Thunder thinks you should be the Field Commander anyway." Kid Brooklyn continued to press.

"And what about the other half?" Sol asked absently, pulling a white t-shirt over his head.

"They spend all their time under Tokiyama's desk, hoping for a promotion." A large smile spread across Sol's freckled face as he shook his head. He opened his mouth to reply, but people all around them were rushing to get out of the locker room, talking in hushed whispers as they went. Sol exchanged a quick glance with Kid Brooklyn before they both joined in with the herd. Kid Brooklyn quickly found a soldier under his command and asked what was going on.

"It's Tokiyama, he's going ballistic on one of the new recruits." Sol and Kid Brooklyn exchanged glances again, this time worry was written all over each other's features. They couldn't rush out the doors and investigate what was happening due to the crowd of people all trying to get out, so they had no choice but to go with the flow for the time being. It wasn't long before they could see the large double doors that led outside, sun shining in from being propped open.

As soon as they were outside, both Kid Brooklyn and Sol began to push past other people, trying to see what was happening. They got separated almost instantly, but that didn't matter right now. Sol jostled his way through, squeezing against bodies and fighting his way to the front. At last, he could finally see Tokiyama, his face red and contorted with rage. Pushing past a few more people, Sol got a better view of what was happening. Tokiyama held a bamboo practice sword and was swinging it violently down at someone unseen to Sol. He could hear the other person whimpering and begging for him to stop, but he relentlessly brought the bamboo sword down again and again.

"Someone needs to stop him before he kills that guy." Sol heard one person say behind him.

"Yeah, but who? The other Field Commanders have no say in what the others use as discipline." Someone else responded. The thump from every blow he inflicted made Sol clench his fist harder and harder. The voice of the person pleading, begging for Tokiyama to stop fell on deaf ears. _Do something! _Sol had heard and seen enough.

He pushed his way to the front aggressively; storming into the circle the people around had created. Tokiyama had his back to Sol, and brought the practice sword up to deal another blow when Sol grabbed his wrist and locked his own arm. Tokiyama pulled roughly but Sol didn't let go, wouldn't let him budge an inch. Fire blazed in Tokiyama's eyes as he slowly glared over his shoulder to see who had stopped him.

"He's had enough." Sol growled at the short stocky man in front of him. He could feel himself glaring right back and in this moment, Sol wanted nothing more but to bring this man down, to put him on his back.

"You dare to place your hands on a superior?" Tokiyama growled right back. Sol opened his mouth to reply when a sudden and very loud boom echoed throughout the complex. Everyone turned to look at the Gym, where the explosion had originated from. Everyone but Sol and Tokiyama. They were still locked in a stare down, a burning desire to lash out at one another.

"C'mon" Sol heard a gruff sounding voice say. "One of the Senshi won already today, let's go!" The attention of the crowd gathered around shifted and everyone rushed past and hurried towards the only door to the Gym. Sol waited until everyone else had gone before he let go of Tokiyama's wrist. As soon as he let go, the other man lifted the bamboo sword over his head, and held it high, ready to strike. Sol didn't flinch or turn away, only stared into the other mans eyes with a burning passion he hadn't felt in a long time.

With an effort, he inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, Tokiyama had lowered the sword, only his rage filled stare remained. Very deliberately, Sol turned his back towards his commanding officer and walked away leaving the incident behind him. But the fire inside had been lit and it continued to smolder.

**A/N: **So there is going to be more original characters in this part of the story. I hope people are alright with that as I've read some people's comments on the forums about how they hate OC's. Also, sorry if this chapter is kind of dry as well. I hope you're enjoying where the story is going, because I am having a ton of fun writing it :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Sailor Mercury propelled herself upwards with a water jet under her feet, sending her high towards the ceiling of the Gym. A streak of fire came blazing towards the base of the powerful stream, cutting through it like a knife, turning the water into stem almost instantly. _Jupiter has the advantage in the air _she thought to herself as she began to fall. Right on cue, she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, signaling Sailor Jupiter's approach. Sailor Mercury pulled the water vapor created by Sailor Mars' fire towards herself, slowing the molecules down and bringing them together faster than she ever had before. Crossing her arms protectively in front of her, a giant shield of ice formed just before Sailor Jupiter appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, the familiar clap of thunder that followed every time she used her Lightning Accel technique.

Her fist engulfed in electricity came crashing down; shattering the ice barrier Sailor Mercury had created for herself. The impact of the blow sent her hurtling back towards the floor she had just been standing on. She flipped once, twice, and by the third rotation had regained her composure. Thrusting her arms out to slow the spinning, she twisted her hips and somersaulted through the air, landing easily on her feet. _Jupiter is really training hard today. _Her tall green eyed friend had taken out Sailor Venus almost immediately. Now, she waited patiently inside a small recess on one of the walls inside the Gym, waiting and watching.

Water vapor still filled the air, so visibility was low but Sailor Mercury knew Sailor Mars was close.

"If we don't work together, we won't take Jupiter down today. Something has her fired up and-"The hair on the back of her neck stood up again and Sailor Mercury dove forward without thinking. A sudden and violent burst of lighting crashed down where she had just been standing. Even without connecting, the force of the attack still made her head spin. A clap of thunder announced her arrival in person. Sailor Mercury lifted her head enough to see her friend's high heeled green boots standing in front of her. Sailor Jupiter still hadn't landed a winning blow and Sailor Mercury knew she didn't have any time before she did. With the water vapor still hanging in the air she formed a block of ice directly behind her friends head and pulled it towards herself. Sailor Jupiter moved her head to the side, easily dodging it. Sailor Mercury formed another and another. Her tall friend alternated between dodging and shattering the ice blocks, seemingly toying with her. Focusing all her attention on attacking Sailor Jupiter, she didn't even see Sailor Mars running toward the two women, black hair trailing behind her, both hands engulfed in flame.

At the last second Sailor Mercury noticed Sailor Mars leaping through the air, ready to unleash an attack that would finish them both off. _If her hands touch, it's all over for us both and Mars will win today! _Sailor Mercury formed another block of ice, but she knew it was already too late. Sailor Mars' hands were already closing into each other. Without warning the entire space inside the Gym lit up and Sailor Mercury thought she felt and heard an incredible explosion before everything went dark.

The blue haired woman didn't know how long she was unconscious, but she felt her head bobbing from side to side as she came to. She was being held up, her arm flung around the shoulders of... _Jupiter? _She tried to focus but there seemed to be thick dark smoke in between the two women. Opening her mouth to ask what happened, she inhaled a large amount smoke that surrounded them and began to cough hard.

"Hold on Ami-chan, we're almost at the door." Her friend informed her in an urgent voice. Sailor Mercury tried to respond, but the coughing wouldn't stop, in fact it was getting worse. She couldn't hold up her own weight any longer from coughing so hard when the both emerged into the clear fresh air outside the Gym. Sailor Jupiter let her slide down to the ground as her whole body convulsed from the intense coughing. She couldn't slow it down and began to vomit on the grass where she lay. After retching two times, she finally stopped coughing and rolled onto her back, breathing deep, trying to catch her breath. Sailor Mars was already outside and seemed too had fared no better than she had. _Venus must have pulled her out. _Shielding the her eyes from the sun as she looked up to the sky, Sailor Mercury couldn't help but think how good a cool glass of water would be right about now.

As if someone were reading her mind, a glass of water appeared in her vision. The man handing her the refreshment cast the largest shadow Sailor Mercury had ever seen on anyone. Even crouched down beside her he looked intimidating with his giant frame.

"Thank you Oakley" Sailor Mercury rasped, taking the glass from him and swallowing large gulps. The cool water soothed her raw throat, giving relief. Oakley stood up to his full height as she took another drink. At almost seven feet tall, he was always turning heads. Not only was he tall, but the man directly under Sailor Mercury was massive as well. His large arms were bigger than most people's legs attached to powerful shoulders and a tree trunk for a chest. His soft brown eyes and young looking face put people at ease which was a stark contrast to his giant muscular body. The only problem Sailor Mercury had was the man never spoke a single word. He understood Japanese as he could take directions, but he never replied. Even asking for his name only brought silence. So people started calling him Oakley because he was as large and solid as a giant oak tree. Oakley was also the only Field Commander to have who had remained unchallenged since taking it from his predecessor. The day he had arrived and been enrolled into the Queens Guard, he challenged William, the previous Field Commander of the Mercs. Everyone thought this would be a good lesson for a new recruit, a way to put him in line. Put William was no match for Oakley's overwhelming power.

Sailor Mercury finished her drink and started to push herself to her feet when a young woman in a nurse's smock came running towards them.

"Dr. Mizuno, I'm sorry to bother you during training-" She paused taking a few quick breaths before continuing. "But we have an injured cadet and suspect internal bleeding." Sailor Mercury let herself transform out of her Senshi form and back to Ami Mizuno. Without looking back at her friends, she let the young nurse lead her toward the small crystal hospital they had in the Palace complex.

-/-*-\-

Sailor Mars watched from her back as her blue haired friend was called to her other duties. Each Senshi had secondary roles to fill within the Palace, and Ami was called out of training the most. _We really need another doctor on hand, someone to help Ami. _But Endymion had warned against it.

"_Let's get people whom we know will be here for a better cause. We can't risk having an outsider pose as a doctor but actually be a double agent." _As much as Sailor Mars wanted someone to help Ami in her medical role, she knew he was right. The technology her friend had invented after gaining full access to the Crystal Palace's data banks could be turned into a weapon much too easily. Pushing herself up to rest on her elbows, she glared at Sailor Jupiter, fire blazing in her eyes.

"What the hell was that Mako-chan?!" She asked harshly. Sailor Jupiter quickly turned her eye's to the ground, hands behind her back submissively.

"I'm sorry Rei-chan, I didn't mean-"

"You could have killed us both!" Sailor Mars interrupted. "Letting all your power out at once like that! And what was that?! I've never seen you use that attack before!" She had lifted herself to a sitting position now, intending to stand but her head started to spin, so she remained seated.

"It's called training for a reason." Sailor Mars turned her glare to Sailor Venus, who had answered for Sailor Jupiter. "If we don't push the limit ever one in a while we'll get complacent. I think what Jupiter did today is exactly what we've been lacking lately. This training shouldn't feel like going through the motions, but that's what it has felt like to me lately. Good work today Jupiter, you earned your spot in the winner's circle." Other cadets had started to make their way over, wanting to know who had emerged victorious today. Not wanting to let the soldiers see her down and beaten, Sailor Mars stiffly and unsteadily got to her feet.

"I will admit though, I couldn't even see that coming." She said softly to Sailor Jupiter once she was standing again. Her powers of clairvoyance had improved greatly the last eight years. Ami had taught them all a way to focus their own inner power to enhance the abilities they already had. Now, Sailor Mars no longer needed to recite incantations and meditate to see what was going to happen around her. Having the ability to sense the future had made her quite the target since they all started training together like this. After learning how to use it in battle, she had remained unbeaten for almost two straight months. Sailor Mars suspected that was the sole reason Veronika had decided to join The Priesthood over any of the other Senshi battalions.

The small crowd had grown and everyone gathered waited anxiously to hear who had won between the Senshi today. Sailor Venus turned to face the members of the Queens Guard and opened her mouth to announce the victor when Tokiyama came storming through the ranks, making a bee-line for Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Mars noted his red face and furious features while he walked briskly toward her taller friend. When he was by her side, she had to stoop down to hear what he was saying. Sailor Mars couldn't hear the words spoken, but his stiff demeanor and quick gestures with his hands spoke volumes about his current mood. When he was done a short time later, Sailor Jupiter stood straight and approached Sailor Venus. Her features looked none too friendly now. She began talking to Sailor Venus in what Sailor Mars thought was a calm manner. The black haired girl was about to find out what was going on when she felt a small tug at her red skirt. Wheeling around in surprise and anger, she was ready to lash out at the sorry pervert who would dare try something so risky.

Her anger quickly faded as her gaze went down towards the ground and found big red eyes framed by bright pink hair looking up at her with a wide smile on her face.

"Small Lady!" Sailor Mars exclaimed brightly upon seeing her friend's young daughter. She crouched down to her level and opened her arms, taking the young girl in for a warm embrace. "I didn't think you would get back until tomorrow. How was your trip?" The young girl wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"It wasn't Lady like at all." She replied crossing her arms and holding her head high. "All the old men were mean and yelled at my mom. They don't know how to act like Gentlemen. Papa could show them a thing or two about how a Gentleman is supposed to act." Sailor Mars let herself smile at the girl who she had affectionately considered her niece, even though they weren't related by blood. "Anyway I just came to show Veronika where you were. I'm going to go see Papa now, bye-bye!" The pink haired girl waved enthusiastically, turning as she smiled. Sailor Mars smiled back and gave a slight wave before she noticed Veronika standing not far off.

The dark brown haired woman looked toward Sailor Mars, her emotionless features telling her nothing of this woman's current mood. She walked toward the Field Commander of The Priesthood and as she got closer Veronika began to bow deeply, showing her respect.

"Veronika" Sailor Mars started in a hushed whisper, quickly pulling the woman back up to a standing position. "How many times have I told you not to bow to me?" She asked incredulously.

"But it is a common practice in Japan to bow to those who are-"

"I know I know" Sailor Mars interrupted, waving her hand at the other woman. "You say that every time, and every time I tell you 'But we're friends, you don't need to bow to me' and you never listen! Veronika I consider you a dear friend, so please, stop it ok?" She pleaded with the shorter woman. Veronika seemed to consider what she had just said and actually raised one eye brow slightly. Anyone who knew Veronika knew that was equal to someone else exclaiming 'Eureka!'

"Veronika!" A male's voice shouted from behind the soft brown eyed girl. Sailor Mars peeked over her friends shoulder as Veronika turned to see who had called out her name. "Fight me!" The man's voice called out. Sailor Mars should have known it was Kid Brooklyn challenging her. He challenged anyone who he thought was either on par with his own abilities or better. She admired his tenacity, but also found it overbearing at times. He had closed the distance and was now standing in front of Veronika, towering over her.

"No" Was the only reply she gave before turning her back to him. Sailor Mars watched as his face went from determined enthusiasm to completely annoyed.

"Give me one good reason why you won't fight me?!"

"You have too many wasted movements." Veronika replied quickly with her back still turned to him.

"I'll fight you" Both Veronika and Kid Brooklyn turned to see Sailor Venus looking toward them. Sailor Jupiter and Tokiyama were gone now and the athletic blonde woman was standing by herself. A murmur of excitement passed through the crowd of cadets who had gathered. They expected to hear about who won today's training round, not a challenge from a Senshi to a Field Commander. "Unless you're scared to lose again." Sailor Venus finished with a smirk.

"If I can land one blow, I'll consider it a small victory." Kid Brooklyn replied, removing his golden yellow jacket. He circled towards Sailor Venus, hands held up by his face. Sailor Venus only stood in front of him, waiting for him to attack. Just outside of her reach, Kid Brooklyn lashed out with three straight punches in the middle of her chest, alternating from left to right. To anyone watching, his strikes were lighting quick, but not quick enough. With effortless grace, Sailor Venus blocked each shot with the palm of her hand. Kid Brooklyn backed off and circled to her left, her weaker side.

"He's gotten faster." Veronika remarked. Sailor Mars nodded in agreement. _If he had the same power as us, we wouldn't stand a chance against his natural skill. _The flurry he unleashed this time looked like a blur to the untrained eye, finishing with a high kick to the head. Sailor Venus leisurely caught his leg and stepped in between his hips, kicking his grounded foot out away from him, throwing him down to his back. She didn't have to follow him down, but she let herself fall on top of him. Sailor Mars caught a quick glimpse of her smiling face only inches away from his before her long blonde hair covered them both. Neither of them moved for what seemed a long time. Sailor Mars was about to go over and find out what was wrong when Sailor Venus pushed herself off her taller opponent, brushing away dirt from her skirt that wasn't there.

"I feel better now." She said, smiling widely. Sailor Mars narrowed her gaze at her friend. _Is she blushing right now? _

"Next time, I'll land one." Kid Brooklyn threatened, getting back to his feet. Sailor Venus let out a quiet giggle, watching him stand.

"Are you ok Mina-chan?" Sailor Mars asked suspiciously.

"Hmm?" She replied, turning to face Sailor Mars. _She's definitely blushing now. _

"Is there something going on between you and Brook?" Sailor Mars didn't need her clairvoyance to deduce what was happening. Sailor Venus scoffed, turning even redder.

"I don't- I mean, there is this... Why do you ask?" She stumbled over her words like a high school student in love for the first time. Sailor Mars shook her head, smiling inwardly.

"Never mind. Where did Mako-chan go?"

"Discipline. I guess Sol was a bad boy and he needs to be spanked!" Now it was Sailor Mars' turn to blush, feeling her cheeks go hot.

"Minako!" Her blonde friend laughed and faced the crowd of cadets.

"Sailor Jupiter won today" the members of Rolling Thunder that had gathered cheered triumphantly "but tomorrow I'll take her down myself. As for the rest of you, take the day off and go prepare for The Festival of Light, as per the Queens orders. Now go have fun with family and friends! If I see any one of you training, I'll make short work of you like I did with Kid Brooklyn here." Another, much louder cheer came from everyone gathered around as cadets and officers alike began to go their different ways, glad to enjoy the rest of today and tomorrow as they pleased. Sailor Mars let herself transform back into her civilian form. Wearing black shorts and a red tank top, her usual casual wear these days, she faced Veronika.

"Did Serenity say anything to you about this year's Festival?" The shorter woman shook her head no.

"She was rather quiet on the plane ride back. When Small Lady questioned whether she was feeling well, the Queen lied." Through experience Rei knew Veronika had a keen sense of observation. Not much slipped by the woman and Rei admired her ability to pick up on such things. She also felt her straight forward attitude matched up well with her own.

"I've been having bad dreams lately." Rei confided in Veronika.

"What kind of bad dreams?" The people around had diminished so Rei felt at ease telling her here, away from prying ears.

"About Serenity. I'm worried about her. Maybe if the two of us confront her, she'll tell us what's been bothering her. She may not have the same ability as I do, but she does have a sense of when trouble is coming, and I think something is going to happen soon." Veronika nodded, never questioning her intuition.

"I'll arrange a meeting first thing in the morning." Veronika informed her.

"No, let's surprise her now. She's gotten good at avoiding these kinds of talks. I want to get to the bottom of this."

"Very well" Veronika began to bow before Rei had a chance to pull her back up.

"What did I tell you about that?!"

**A/N: **YAY! Some action! I realized on the last story that I'm not so good at romance stuff, so I'm going more with action and adventure, with a little romance. I hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far and feel free to comment even if you don't like it


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Tucking golden blonde hair back into her grey hooded sweater, Minako donned a pair of large sunglasses to help conceal her face. She knew she didn't have to sneak around, but for some reason doing it this way felt more exciting. _Forbidden love _she smiled to herself as the thought entered her mind. No one knew for sure about hers and Kid Brooklyn's relationship, but rumors were starting to spread. At first when he had joined, she thought he was nothing more than a trouble maker who was good with a sword. Somewhere along the line she had began to fall for him, not even realizing how attractive she thought he was until Rei had caught her staring while he worked out, sweat glistening of his bare chest. She moaned softly to herself and realized other people were around.

_Get out of your head until you get to his room! _She scolded herself. Again, not that it really mattered because no one knew who she was, but she felt her cheeks go red none the less. She made her way through the sparkling corridors of the Crystal Palace, making note that no one paid any attention to her. Just another tourist wanting to see the sights of this now legendary palace. The Field Commanders were given private rooms within the palace while other cadets bunked up in the barracks. Most of the rooms inside the palace were small and built like hotel rooms to accommodate the large staff that kept up with the daily routines. Kid Brooklyn's room was no exception. With only enough space for a bed a small writing table and a bathroom, two people inside made it quite crowded. _Not that I mind getting close to him _she purred and then scolding herself again.

The hallway outside of his room was busier than usual and she tried to slow her pace, hoping the people would clear a little before going inside. Standing just outside his door, she peeked around quickly to see if anyone was watching her. Satisfied no one paid her any mind; she turned the door knob and darted inside, closing it quickly and hoping no one saw her. Now that she was in his room she let herself relax, exhaling deeply. But she also felt her heart rate increase in anticipation. Suddenly, she realized he wasn't in the room. She pouted her lips and was about to leave when she heard the shower come to life. _Well isn't this good timing_ she thought taking off the large gray sweater that helped conceal her identity. _Do I surprise him in the shower, or wait for him to come out? _

Throwing herself onto the soft mattress she decided it would be more fun to wait for him to emerge from his shower, freshly cleaned. Plus those showers barely had enough room for two. _If we were in my room it would be a different story... _Lying on the bed, Minako began to think of being a pop star, wowing audiences around the world. It had been her dream for as long as she could remember. _At least I get to sing at the Festival. _Every year a stage was set up, and every year Minako was allowed to belt out a few tunes for her 'adoring' fans. She knew she wasn't the best, but she did find the time to practice whenever the chance arose. After so many years, Minako considered herself a bit of a diva now.

She had been twirling blonde hair into her fingers when she noticed the running water had stopped. Sitting up to face the door she saw a naked, tall and well built Kid Brooklyn standing with his back to her, drying his short hair with a towel. Smiling and blushing she decided to just enjoy the show until he noticed she was there. She let her gaze drop, following the muscular contours of his back, his shoulder blades coming together and back out again as he continued to dry himself off. At his lower back, her eye was pulled toward a large circular scar about the size of an orange. Seeing the scar triggered a memory of a previous engagement with him.

"You said the next time I see you naked, you would tell me how you got that scar." Announcing her presence loudly to be sure he heard. He jumped slightly and stiffened before relaxing again. Pulling the towel off his head and wrapping it around his waist, she expected his normally playful self, but when he turned his expression was nothing but pain.

"You're right" he replied softly, eyes cast down towards the floor. He crossed the few steps to the bed and sat down beside her. She wanted to reach out and hold his hand, or wrap her arms around him, but the sudden change in mood had her frozen. She was stunned and unable to respond. "After we were awoken it wasn't long before those monsters started turning up. I don't know what happened to my parents, but we hadn't been on talking terms for a while. I had-"His voice cracked and Minako thought she saw a glimmer of a tear in his eye before the lids closed. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "I had a kid sister before coming here." The words were like a slap in the face. _Had. _Minako swallowed hard, fighting back tears she could already feel coming on. "When they started to appear, I went to my folks' place to see if she was alright. The place was trashed, but she was ok. She had been hiding in the pantry closet for almost a whole day. I got her some food and water and we left. I asked what happened but she wouldn't tell me anything. I knew it was bad because I found a lot of blood. More blood than I had ever seen. So I swore to her that I would protect her. Things were going alright for us. I brought her back to my apartment and she seemed to be doing well. Then one day on our way back from picking up some groceries a monster appeared. It was tall and ugly. And black. Skin so black it was like looking into the night itself. My sister freaked and ran into an ally. The thing was fast and got past me right away. It didn't take long before that thing caught up to her. It was holding her down, mouth open and ready to eat her. So I put myself in between her and its mouth, but the things tongue went right through me. That's when I stopped being afraid and got mad. I lashed out with all my rage, all my hatred at this madness. I didn't know it at the time but its tongue went through me and into her, piercing a lung. She drowned in her own blood, watching me fight this thing, watching me at my worst. I don't know how long it went on for, but eventually it decided the kill wasn't worth the effort and left. When I turned around she had a look of horror on her face. I'll never forget that look. And then she died. She died in my arms and she was only nine years old. Now I have this scar to remind me how I couldn't protect the only family I had left."

Slowly, Minako put her arms around his neck and leaned in, resting her head against his chest. Silently, tears had begun to flow as he had told his story, his painful story of a life he had left behind.

"I'm sorry Brook. I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't know" he interrupted softly. "Now if I ever feel like giving up I look at this scar. Funny how something that brought so much pain could also be a source of strength." Minako looked up into his eyes then and saw a sparkle. She didn't know what to expect but this seemed to throw her off.

"How can you be so... Calm about this?" She asked after staring into his eyes for a short time. His eyebrows narrowed as he thought about his answer.

"It happened a long time ago now. I've learned to deal with it. Everyone here is suffering from something that happened after awakening. Misery loves company, right?" He pulled her back softly to lie on the bed, still embracing each other. "What happened to you?" Kid Brooklyn asked after they had settled into each other's warmth.

"Nothing happened to me. We fought Koji without any loses. I only wish we could have done something sooner."

"I'm not talking about that. You have a deep wound, buried way down somewhere. I don't see it often, but sometimes when you look at the Queen you get this... Heart wrenching look on that pretty face of yours. So what happened between you all?" Again, Minako was taken aback by his intuitiveness. It was true, sometimes when she looked at Serenity it was like being on Silver Millennium again. She took a deep breath and pulled herself off of his warm chest, looking down into his grey blue eyes. Trying to think of where to start she felt his hand softly caress her cheek.

"It's alright Mina. You can tell me about it the next time I see you naked." His perpetual grin was spread across his lips and Minako let out a light laugh. She leaned down and brushed her lips against his, teasing him with her body. She felt him begin to wrap his muscular arms around her when she pushed off his chest, and stood from the bed. His grin now gone was replaced by a look of confusion, hands going out to his sides. Minako turned slowly and deliberately, unbuttoning her jeans and sliding her hips out.

"I need to take a shower" she called over her shoulder as she stepped into the small bathroom.

-/-*-\-

Chibi-Usa noticed Sailor Venus lurking through the corridors of the Crystal Palace and her child like curiosity took over. She wondered how no one else noticed her. Sure she was dressed differently, but anyone would notice the way she walked. Still, no one seemed to pay attention to her. Chibi-Usa was beginning to get bored following her when she stopped in front of Kid Brooklyn's room. Peering around a corner she wondered why Sailor Venus didn't just go inside. _She's his commanding officer after all. _She watched as the woman she had come know as one of her Aunts looked one way and then the other, checking to see if anyone was watching and quickly darted inside.

This made the young girl confused. _Why would she dress differently to go see Brook? _She wondered. _Papa would know! _He knew everything and always answered her questions. Turning away from Kid Brooklyn's room, she ran through the large hallways, arms out like an airplane, darting between people as they milled about the palace. Some waved hello to her as she rushed passed, others paid her no attention, too busy going about their daily routines. The small energetic girl went to her parent's room first, but should have known better. _They're never in there unless it's bedtime _she reminded herself. _At least the control room is close. _The control room was where Endymion spent most of his time now, directing workflow and overseeing the running of the Crystal Palace.

She turned to proceed toward the control room when she saw Sailor Mars and Veronika walk past, heading in the same direction she intended to go. Putting her arms out again Chibi-Usa ran down to the corner and peeked passed the crystal wall. The two huge doors that led into the control were almost always shut, but the people inside were nice and usually let others in. Chibi-Usa was always fascinated by the arched framework that surrounded the two huge doors. The phases of the moon sparkled within the crystal as if it was the real moon lit up in the night sky.

One of the doors swung open, letting Sailor Mars and Veronika inside, and Chibi-Usa wasted no time, rushing to stand against the door that was still closed. When she was close enough to hear, a conversation was already in progress.

"... Been having bad dreams about you, and Veronika said you were uneasy on the flight back. What's going on Serenity?" It was Sailor Mars' voice. Chibi-Usa thought she looked much better in her Sailor Senshi uniform than the plain black shorts and red tank top she was wearing now.

"It's nothing really. I've just been a little tired lately. There's really nothing to be worried about." That was her mother's voice, no doubt about it.

"King Endymion!" Chibi-Usa recognized Artemis' voice and instantly smiled, thinking of how soft his fur was. But he sounded strange right now. _Why is he upset? _"Long range sensors are picking up something headed towards Earth." She heard some shuffling, like everyone was moving at once before her father spoke.

"Is it an asteroid or comet?" He asked calmly.

"I'm not sure yet, but we'll keep- Another one just appeared. And another. They keep popping up. It looks like" there was a hushed pause; even Chibi-Usa was holding her breath now. "It looks like they're in a formation."

"Try and send out a ping, let's see if we can get a better reading as to what it is." Her father directed, speaking quickly. Chibi-Usa was starting to feel a little scared. Nothing like this had ever happened before.

"Sir, we sent out a ping and they stopped. There's no mistaking it, these aren't rocks floating through space." Chibi-Usa expected another hushed silence after Artemis announced they were space ships, but instead she heard her mother's voice, firm and commanding.

"Open a communications channel with all frequencies active. We need to make contact before they get here. I won't let The Black Moon Clan bring the human species to the brink of extinction again." _What did she just say? _Chibi-Usa felt her throat go dry and it was suddenly hard to breath. Her chest began to tighten in the grip of panic. _The brink of extinction? _ She heard static coming from the large monitor inside the control room, and once again her curiosity took over. Slowly she peered passed the door concealing her and only saw static on the large screen. Her breathing was returning to normal when the static stopped and was replaced by a hooded figure. She couldn't make out any features of his face because of the shadow being cast across it, but she felt whomever this was had to be trouble.

"This is Queen Serenity of Earth. May I please speak with Prince Damande or Prince Saphir?" Her mother asked politely. The hooded figure lifted his head enough to show his mouth. She knew it was a man now because he had a short beard growing on his chin.

"Everyone leave the room." His voice was deep and rough but commanded authority. There was a few seconds of silence before he continued. "I didn't want to think it was true, but you really were working with The Black Moon Clan."

"What-"

"Don't try to hide your allegiances now that you've been sniffed out!" He interrupted angrily.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Chibi-Usa's mother pleaded with him. "My intention was to prevent The Black Moon Clan from committing mass genocide on this planet. Please, tell me who you are and what's going on here." Her mother begged honestly. Chibi-Usa watched as his hands came into view and pulled the hood back revealing his face. Long messy black hair fell out of the hood but not before Chibi-Usa caught a glimpse of a large scar in the shape of a crescent moon running from above his right eyebrow to below his eye, the tip stopping just short of his tear gland.

"My name is Ganymede and it was my army that defeated The Black Moon Clan. Prince Damande and Prince Saphir are dead and rest on Planet Nemesis, forever covered in darkness." Chibi-Usa listened in horror as her mother inhaled sharply and raised her hand to her mouth.

"It can't be" Serenity whispered to herself.

"It's true. I killed them with my own hands. Your reaction only solidifies my suspicion that you were, in fact, an ally of The Black Moon Clan. That makes us enemies." Chibi-Usa had heard enough. She couldn't take it any longer and turned away from the control room, away from this man who scared her more than anything else in the world. As she ran down the hallway she couldn't stop the tears from flowing from her bright red eyes. People tried to stop her, to console her, but she continued, trying to run away from her fears.

-/-*-\-

"How can this be?" Serenity repeated, more to herself than to anyone else around. The two princes who she knew something about were gone. Not only that, but an _entire _army was defeated by this man and his army. An army that was strong enough to kill almost every person had been beaten by this man. Her only hope now was to convince him that fighting was the last thing they wanted to do.

"Please Ganymede; we don't want to fight you. We only-"

"You will listen to what we have been through." He interrupted her again. She felt her hand tremble and tried to calm herself, to steady her breathing, but this man stared into her like she was nothing more than a child. He struck fear into her heart. She felt herself beginning to hyperventilate and could no longer control her breathing. Her head began to feel light and her vision spun. She thought she was going to pass out when a warm hand took her trembling one. Her blue eyes locked with Endymion's as he put his other arm around her. She felt the trembling in her hand subside and her pounding heart slowed. Endymion looked up at the screen and spoke for her.

"We will listen to your hardships."

"When Sailor Moon banished us to the Planet Nemesis Koji quickly took control. Only one person dared stand up to him, and that was Aksuna, but she was no match for his overwhelming power. To set an example he had her chained and beaten regularly. Believe it or not, but that had awoken humanity in some of us. We had realized what monster's we had become. So we decided to fight back. This is what we have been told. Time on Planet Nemesis is sped up compared to that here, or so we've been told. So what may have only been a few years to you has been a few hundred years to us." Serenity listened to what he said and was trying to come up with a way to get through to him. Negotiations were a tricky beast to tame. "Koji quickly found out about our... Rebellion and had his followers begin to lay waste to us, all the while torturing Aksuna, letting her live to see what had become of those who sympathized with her. Blaming her for this uprising. After many hard fought battles, we were finally able to free Aksuna of the chains that had bound her, free her of Koji's relentless wrath. With Aksuna free, she began to teach us how to counter their overwhelming strength. She taught us how to control the darkness, and not just give in to it. The battles we fought were long and hard, neither side conceding any ground to the other." He paused and seemed to be thinking of what to say next. Serenity couldn't tell if he was angry or upset but thought it best to keep silent until he was done.

"I am a direct descendant of Aksuna and I carry the will of my people. Some time ago those princes you mentioned were preparing to leave Nemesis on these very ships that we board now. I overheard them talking about meeting with 'our special guest of honor.' I had been raised believing that Sailor Moon was our ally and she would welcome us with open arms when we returned to Earth, but now I know that was a lie. I know she was working with The Black Moon Clan. We raided their ships as they tried to take off, and dealt them the final blow. Your allies have been defeated as will you." _That's why The Black Moon Clan didn't show up three years ago. Because they were fighting a war. _Serenity's breath caught and before she could stop herself, she blurted out what had just come into her head.

"Is there anyone called Wise Man or Death Phantom in your ranks? He is-"

"How could you possibly..." Ganymede whispered, eyes wide with shock. He quickly regained his composure, shaking his head from side to side. "That was the final nail in your coffin. No one, not even my must trusted subordinates knew of Death Phantom. Or rather, what Koji had become. After I had killed Damande and Saphir, he tried to approach me, tried to brainwash me into doing what he intended. But I dispatched him, just like every other enemy that has stood in my way. I fight for justice!" His voice boomed suddenly. "My people have suffered at the hands of their oppressors for long enough! When we land on Earth, we will fight our way-"

"No!" It was Serenity's turn to interrupt him this time. "Fighting solves nothing! Fighting only leads to more pain and suffering. You say you fight for justice and so do I. Please, let us not go down this path that you know is full of death and pain. Let us come to a peaceful agreement where no one dies." Her voice had softened as she spoke, pleading with him to not go down this path.

"Very well. If it means saving my brothers and sisters from death I will consider what you have just said. Give me some time to discuss with my men." Without waiting for a reply, the screen went blank. Serenity felt her knees give out, no longer able to support her weight. Luckily Endymion was already holding her so she didn't fall to the ground. Rei came over looking concerned, placing her hand on Serenity's shoulder.

"Listen, we can do whatever you want. But if push comes to shove, we're ready for this. It's what we've been-"

"We couldn't possibly beat him if this goes to war. He defeated Death Phantom alone. It took _two _Silver Crystal's to defeat Death Phantom when we were still teenagers. _Two _Rei-chan!" Serenity heard her own voice go into hysterics. "The only chance we have is to convince him there doesn't need to be a fight."

"I'm not saying we should fight him because a peaceful resolution would be in everyone's best interest. But we're not kids anymore Usagi!" Serenity knew her friend only used her real name to drive a point home. "Don't forget that you have been training too. I know it isn't as often as the rest of us, but believe me when I say this: _You _could beat Death Phantom alone now if you needed too." Serenity felt tears fall from her eyes.

"I'm scared Rei" she whispered. "That man terrifies me. And what's worse is he believes he's fighting for a noble cause." Before Serenity could hear her friend's words of comfort, the monitor came back to life. Ganymede was in view, along with five others that she couldn't make out.

"We have come to a decision." He began. "Our terms will not be negotiated. Any failure to meet all the demands will result on an all out war. Although, we only have one demand. After we land and unload our ships, Sailor Moon and her Senshi are to board one and leave this planet. You are to drift through space as punishment for the crimes you have committed. If you refuse, we will kill anyone who stands in our way."

**A/N: **Ganymede is the seventh moon that orbits Jupiter. I decided on that theme of a name for what I think is obvious reasons, Sailor Moon and what not. I also picked this moon because I thought it was very interesting. It's the largest moon in the solar system, bigger even than Mercury. It is also the only moon in the solar system known to possess a magnetosphere, or magnetic field. From that scientists deduced that the moon has a liquid iron core. So the moon is more like a planet than a moon. I could go on, but I don't want to bore you too much with this authors note. I hope you're enjoying the sequel so far, as there is much more to come!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sol hated going into hospitals, even small ones. The smell of chemicals and cleaners was worse now that his senses were more enhanced and he could already feel his throat starting to burn. A few questions with the reception desk had directed him where he wanted to go. He was concerned the cadet that Tokiyama had beaten was suffering in more than a physical aspect and wanted to check in on him. The small hospital only had three floors and Sol was headed down the patient recovery hallway when Ami emerged out of a room, eyes down studying a patient chart. She didn't notice him at first, but when he got close she lifted her head enough to see who was standing in her way.

"Oh hello Sol. Can I help you with something?" Her blue hair was longer now and Sol thought it helped frame her face better. He noticed she was still wearing her Senshi uniform and had only donned a white lab coat. _Always the busy body._

"I'm here to see the cadet that was injured today. Is this is room?" He gestured to the room she had just come out of with his chin.

"Yes he is inside. We've had to sedate him heavily due to some of the injuries so he may not be that responsive. If you'll excuse me, I have rounds to attend to." Without waiting for a reply, she slid the patient chart into a plastic folder hanging on the wall and walked passed him. Sol took a quick glance at the chart Ami had just been holding to get the cadets name. _Raymond._ He walked into the other mans room and stood at the end of his bed. Raymond stirred and began to rouse himself. Only one eye fluttered open, the other was so badly swollen it stayed shut.

"Hello Raymond, my name is-"

"Sol" the injured man finished for him. "I know who you are. Everyone in Rolling Thunder knows who you are." He managed a weak smile showing some missing teeth. His speech was slurred and slow, probably due to the sedation Ami had him on.

"What do you mean everyone knows who I am?" Sol asked before he could stop himself. _That isn't what you came here for._

"They say you were there. With the Senshi when they defeated Koji. Is that true? Did you know them before they served the Queen?" Sol swallowed hard and thought carefully about what he would say next. He had worked hard to make sure no one knew about his past relationships with the Senshi. He decided it was best to change the subject.

"How is your eye doing? It looks beat up."

"The doctor says I may have permanent eye damage. She says the socket is broken and damage to the optical nerve." Sol opened his mouth to apologize for not getting there sooner, but never got the chance.

"Sol, outside this patient's room. Now." There was no mistaking her voice. _Makoto. _And she wasn't happy at the moment. He nodded towards Raymond who was already drifting back to sleep. He stepped out and closed the door quietly, looking Makoto in the eye. Her lower jaw was clenched and she had her arms crossed, ready to deal out some punishment.

"Did you put your hands on Tokiyama today?" Sol flinched back at your tone, full of acid.

"He was going nuts-"

"_Did _you put _your _hands on Tokiyama or not today?" She repeated, her voice getting louder.

"Yes." Sol narrowed his gaze, anger beginning to well up inside of him.

"You know you're not supposed to touch a Field Commander unless you're training or challenging for their position, right?" She continued to berate him in the sparkling crystal hallway.

"Yes." Was the only reply he gave, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Tomorrow is The Festival of Light. You will be on server and clean up duty as punishment. Also you will need to run 50 _extra _laps around the complex everyday for the next month. Are we clear?"

"Yes." His anger seethed; he was ready to explode when her eyes went from a cold hard stare to a soft caring gaze. She reached her hand up to his face, caressing his check lightly.

"Now tell me what really happened." Instantly his rage was washed away by her loving touch and caring heart. He told her how Tokiyama had confronted Kid Brooklyn. He could only assume what Kid Brooklyn had said put Tokiyama in a bad mood and so he decided to take it out on one of the new recruits. When he was done he saw a pained look on her face. "Oh Sol." She began, shaking her head, chest-nut brown hair shaking with her. "That man is troubled. He doesn't have much humanity in his heart." Her eyes slid from his and she looked at the closed door of Raymond, lying beaten inside. "I don't mean to make you feel guilty, but if you were Field Commander, this never would have happened." Sol blinked, unable to process what she had said at first. Then the reality of her words came crashing into him like a runaway train.

"This... This is my fault" He heard himself whisper. The room was spinning suddenly and he lost his footing. Makoto moved quickly and caught him before he fell to the floor. He felt himself being held up by her as she half dragged, half carried him to a nearby bench. Once he was seated, she got in front of him, holding his head in her hands.

"Sol this isn't your fault. You can't control what other people do. You have no way of knowing what the future holds. You already blame yourself for enough as it is, so please, don't add this to that list as well." The more she talked to him, the more he regained his composure. Her voice was soft and caring, pleading with him to heed her advice. He looked deep into her sparkling green eyes, like he had done countless times before, and each time it was like seeing those brilliant green orbs for the first time. "Don't worry I'll deal with Tokiyama as well. This is an abuse of his authority. I'll make sure it never happens again." _Make sure it never happens again. _A light bulb went off inside Sol's head. It was crystal clear to him. Why hadn't he seen it sooner?

"That's it Makoto!" He exclaimed, startling her. Makoto's eyes went wide with puzzlement and she tilted her head slightly. "I'm going to challenge Tokiyama. I'm going to challenge him and I'm going to beat him."

-/-*-\-

Minako stepped lightly out of the small shower in Kid Brooklyn's bathroom, excited for what lay ahead when she realized the door was closed. _Why would he close the door? _She wondered. Wrapping a towel around herself she went to turn the knob when she heard a voice speaking. She knew it wasn't Kid Brooklyn because the pitch was too high to be his. Pressing her ear against the door she strained to make out any words, but only got muffled sounds. After a short time the conversation stopped and she felt the knob, still in her hand, turn. Jumping back in surprise she was relieved to see the grinning face of Kid Brooklyn peeking in.

"Hurry up and get dressed, Sol just challenged Tokiyama!" He burst out excitedly. _It's about time _Minako thought to herself, but instead said.

"Are you serious? Do you think he can beat him?" She knew the answer to her question, but out of respect for Sol, she had kept his power a secret, even from Kid Brooklyn.

"Oh yeah, he can beat Tokiyama. As long as he doesn't hold back that is." Kid Brooklyn stayed where he was standing, head poking out from behind the door, watching her. "Well come on! Get that towel off already!" He shouted at her playfully

"Gimme some privacy!" Minako shouted right back.

"Bah! You're no fun." The tall blonde man scoffed, disappearing on the other side of the door, closing it behind him. "I'll go now so we don't leave together and raise suspicion." She heard him call. _Perfect, now I don't have to feel guilty about asking him. _She finished drying off and quickly got dressed. All of the Senshi had been waiting for Sol to become Field Commander of Rolling Thunder for some time now and she couldn't keep herself from smiling. She was about to open the door into the hallway when she realized she hadn't donned her disguise. Not that it mattered if people knew about their relationship; she just felt a little embarrassed by it at the moment. On days like today she wished she had Makoto's self confidence to walk the halls, hand in hand with the man she loved, ignoring the whispers and stares.

Gingerly, she placed the large sun glasses on her face and opened the door a crack. The hallway was empty so she darted out and hastily walked down the empty corridor, making her way outside. A special ring had been set up in the event a Field Commander was challenged, though it wasn't really a ring. More like lines drawn in the dirt so if either competitor stepped out of the lines it was regarded as retreating to avoid fighting and the offender was disqualified. Her footsteps echoed into the empty hallways as she made her way towards the nearest exit. _Everyone must have heard the news already and is waiting for the fight to begin. _She pushed open a small door that led outside and was greeted by the peaceful setting sun. Now that she was outside, she removed the sun glasses so people would recognize her.

After a challenge had been issued, the two combatants had one hour to prepare. This also gave everyone time to get gather round and watch the outcome. For the battalion involved, the outcome was usually a big deal, as for the rest it was just entertainment. The fight was with bamboo practice swords, or whatever weapon that person was most used to, whether it be hammer, axe, spear or any other type of weapon, they had it in bamboo form. Tokiyama and Sol were both well versed with a katana, so this would be an interesting matchup. Minako only hoped that Sol wouldn't hold back. If he lost, he would lose the remaining respect he held with Rolling Thunder. She had heard the rumors about him, and most of them were true. He had been with them when they fought Koji. He fought side by side with Tuxedo Kamen against a huge number of Forsaken. Minako recalled her and Makoto had trouble with just one so to take on multiple at once spoke volumes of his resolve and ability to fight when his back was pressed against the wall.

Finally, the ring was in site, surrounded by people from every battalion. The Crystal Palace also employed many who didn't engage in combat, and most of them were present as well. Minako scanned the crowed, looking for her friends, but could only find Ami and Makoto. Pushing her way through the mass of people, she squeezed in between her two friends. Ami turned and smiled brightly, while Makoto looked straight ahead, eyes focused and sharp.

"Where is Serenity and Rei-chan?" She asked them both. Makoto seemed not to hear so she turned to Ami. Her blue haired friend only shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, long locks shaking from side to side. Minako reached out and grabbed a handful of her friend's hair. "You need a hair cut Ami-chan. I think you look cuter with short hair." Ami turned and faced forward suddenly, her cheeks going red.

"Well I thought I would grow it out... For a change of..." Minako knew the look on her friend's face instantly.

"You can't hide your emotions at all Ami-chan!" She laughed as the crowd of people began to buzz louder with anticipation. "You're growing your hair out for someone, aren't you?" That broke through Makoto's concentration, reeling over Minako's shoulder, her face only inches from Ami's.

"Is that true Ami-chan? Are you growing your hair out for someone?" The red colour on Ami's cheeks deepened and she turned away from them.

"Is this really the right time to be discussing this?" Ami asked, regaining some of her composure, but still having red in her cheeks. "What were you concentrating on so hard Mako-chan?" Makoto went from wide eyed shock, back to her stoic composer, staring straight ahead again.

"See how half of Rolling Thunder is on one side of the ring, while the other half is on the opposite?" Minako hadn't noticed, but now that Makoto brought it up, she was right. "It's because there is a divide in my battalion. Half want Tokiyama to remain Field Commander while the other half want Sol to over throw him. Unless Sol can utterly defeat Tokiyama, he'll never truly have their respect. He has to beat Tokiyama so there is no doubt who the rightful Field Commander should be. I can only hope Sol realizes that as well." Minako hadn't thought about it like that before, but she knew her tall friend was right.

"Did you try telling Sol that before the match?" Ami asked over Minako's shoulder.

"It wouldn't matter if I did. You know how he gets. Just look at when we fought The Forsaken. He didn't listen to any of us. Once he gets an idea in his head of what he is supposed to do, there's nothing that can stop him, or change his mind. It's a quality I love and hate about him." The mass of people went quiet and Minako directed her attention to the center of the ring. Kid Brooklyn was standing there, his back to Minako, holding one hand up trying to get everyone's attention. Wearing his official Field Commander uniform, a yellow jacket signifying his rank within the Cutie Raiders, with a crescent moon emblem stitched over his heart. He turned slowly as a hush fell over the crowd. When he was facing Minako she noticed he had something in his other hand, holding it near his mouth. _Is that... A burrito? _She looked closer, and he was in fact, chewing on a burrito. _When did he find the time to go and get one of those? _She wondered and couldn't help herself from giggling. She also wondered whether everyone was going quiet because he was eating, or trying to calm the crowd. A Field Commander was always present during one of these contests to ensure no serious injuries took place. The fight went on until one was unable to fight or was disqualified. Minako didn't see Rei anywhere so that meant Veronika wasn't here either. As for Oakley, the man rarely left his room if he wasn't training. So that left Kid Brooklyn in charge of this match. He stuffed the last bite into his mouth and swallowed quickly.

"Everyone, we are gathered here today because a challenge has been issued." He paused as whispers and murmurs ran through the crowd. "Commander Tokiyama, you have been challenged by Sol Aherne. You don't have to accept this challenge, but in doing so, you would relinquish your title of Field Commander. With that being said, do you accept his challenge?" Tokiyama, standing on the far side of the ring from Minako nodded, holding his bamboo sword in front of himself, ready to fight. "All right gentlemen, you know the rules. Let's do this!" Kid Brooklyn backed out of the ring quickly as the two men took his place in the center.

Immediately the crowd erupted into cheering, some calling for Sol to win, some rooting for Tokiyama. Others were there just for entertainment. Minako felt herself tense. She knew Sol could win, but what Makoto had said was absolutely true. If he left any doubt in their minds as to who the winner should be, there may be more problems arising in Rolling Thunder than there was now. Tokiyama went on the offensive right away, thrusting his wooden blade forward at Sol's throat. Sol sidestepped, holding his weapon low at his waist. _What is he doing? _Minako thought as Tokiyama followed through, slicing towards Sol's midsection. This time threw his hips back, narrowly avoiding the slash, the tip brushing against his clothing. Tokiyama carried the momentum of his swing behind his back, holding the hilt above his head as he slashed down. Again, Sol dodged, not making any effort to parry or counter, still holding his practice sword by his waist. _If he keeps backing up, he'll be disqualified for leaving the ring. _Tokiyama noticed this too, and went for another forward thrust, pushing Sol even closer to the edge as he jumped back. One more step back and the match would be over. Tokiyama took advantage and slashed from the side again, predicting Sol would just back up and win the fight. Minako watched as his blade swung through the air towards Sol's face, dreading the outcome. In a blur of motion even Minako had trouble keeping up with, Sol reacted. She doubted anyone else other than Ami and Makoto knew what happened until it was over. Sol had blocked Tokiyama's strike. Not only had he blocked the strike, but he had done so with the slightly curved tip of his practice sword. _Amazing! _To be able to stop Tokiyama's sword on the tip of his own was next to impossible. If he was off even by the smallest amount, Tokiyama's sword would have deflected off and struck him in the face. The crowd went silent, unsure if what they were seeing was really happening.

Minako caught a glimpse of Tokiyama's expression. The smug look he had before was replaced by one of shock. Sol pushed Tokiyama's sword away and very deliberately lifted his leg for a high kick. Tokiyama easily stepped back, avoiding the strike, but Sol followed through, planting his foot and spinning, kicking his other leg out in a round house, his heel connecting with Tokiyama's chin. The other man fell to the ground, flat on his back. Minako knew Sol had the upper hand and could finish him off, but instead Sol waited for him to get back to his feet, spitting blood into the dirt, rage seething in his eyes. Tokiyama, in his fury, came at Sol with his sword high, swinging down violently. Sol brought his blade up to block the attack. Or so Minako thought. Instead of just blocking, he angled his sword just enough that Tokiyama's strike would deflect, missing Sol. Once Tokiyama was off balance, Sol drove the hilt of his weapon into Tokiyama's midsection, hard and fast. The other man gasped, but before he had any time to recover, Sol threw his fist straight into Tokiyama's surprised face, blood splaying out from his nose almost instantly. The other man stumbled back, hand going to his face and coming away dripping with crimson blood.

"Do you give up?" Sol asked quietly. Everyone could hear it though; the crowd had gone silent since Sol had blocked Tokiyama's attack with the tip of his sword.

"I'll never lose to you!" Tokiyama screamed, rushing forward. Minako noticed then that Sol's stance changed. He went from relaxed, holding his sword casually in one hand, to tense and ready, placing both hands on the hilt. Tokiyama went for another side cut; Sol blocked it easily and countered. Not just once, or twice, Sol unleashed a flurry. His sword was a blur even to Minako, so for the other people watching, they must have not been able to see his attacks, only hear them. Tokiyama dropped his sword and collapsed to the ground, curling into a ball, arms protecting his head, suddenly pleading with Sol to stop.

"I give up, I give up!" He yelled frantically. The stunned crowd was silent for another few seconds before exploding into cheers. The half of Rolling Thunder that supported Sol rushed into the ring then, hoisting him up triumphantly onto their shoulders. Minako turned to Makoto, smiling as she did.

"So is there any doubt who the winner should be?" Her green eyed friend smiled back and shook her head before getting up and making her way to the ring. _She'll probably kiss him in front of everyone, like she always does in these situations._ Minako shook her head while smiling, envying her friends self confidence, again. The blonde woman turned to get her other friend's opinion on the fight and noticed she had her visor on.

"Sol's ability has increased since the last time I analyzed him." She said before Minako had a chance to ask. "His speed and dexterity are far beyond what they used to be."

"Well you know, he trains with Mako-chan almost every morning in hand to hand combat. Since you taught us how to focus our power to increase the abilities we already have, I'm not surprised he's faster. Mako-chan uses her speed and strength to overwhelm us in training. And if I know her, she won't go easy on him either." Since Ami had taught them how to focus their power, each Senshi had built up a different strength. Rei used her clairvoyance; Makoto increased her speed and physical strength, while Ami had unlocked the full potential of her mind. Minako didn't understand it completely, but when Rei was on her enormous winning streak, Ami had caught on and was able to trick Rei into thinking she was going to do one thing, but sub-consciously make different decisions to throw her off. Minako had focused her abilities in her actual Senshi powers, making her even more destructive. Of all the Senshi, she was the only one who held back during training when it came to using the power of Venus. If she went all out, she had no doubt that she would destroy the Gym, and possibly kill her friends. She had no idea at the time how much her destructive power would increase, and was amazed at what she could do now. So they all agreed that she would fight handicapped, only going all out in emergency situations.

Ami was about to reply when the lights to the stage not far off came to life. Not everyone noticed, so the cheering continued. Minako squinted her eyes, straining to see who was on stage. All she could make out were 4 people, one of them probably Serenity, she always stood out wearing her pure white dress.

"If I could have everyone's attention please." Serenity announced over the speakers that surrounded the stage. The cheering died down as everyone recognized her voice. "Could everyone please gather around the stage, I have something I need to say." People exchanged confused glances with one another, Minako and Ami included. The Queen almost never made announcements like this, and when she did, there was prior notice.

"What do you think is happening Mina-chan?" Ami asked as people began to walk towards the stage, a somber feel in the air.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling it isn't anything good." She replied, falling in with the crowd and making her way to the stage. As they closed the distance, Serenity spoke into the microphone again.

"If I could have my Senshi and their corresponding Field Commanders join me on stage as well, that would be appreciated." Minako and Ami pushed their way to the front and climbed up onto the stage. Not long after Makoto and Sol emerged from the crowd followed by Kid Brooklyn. Rei and Veronika were already on stage so the only one missing was Oakley. They all gathered around Serenity with confused looks on their faces. All except Rei, who Minako noted looked furious at the moment.

"Serenity, what's going on?" Minako asked, taking the lead. Her white haired friend cast her eyes to the ground, a sad expression all over her normally jovial features.

"The Black Moon Clan isn't coming. They've been defeated." Minako blinked upon hearing the news, unsure how to react at first.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Ami asked, seeing everyone's confusion deepen.

"The army that defeated them are on their way to Earth. They have given us conditions in which we won't have to fight. He said we have until tomorrow to decide." Serenity informed them, not making eye contact with anyone. Endymion appeared at her side, wrapping his arms protectively around her.

"Well what are the conditions?" Minako asked, beginning to grow impatient.

"Ganymede, the leader of this army, wants to come to Earth and unload his ships. Once he has, he wants Sailor Moon and her Senshi to board one and leave the planet."

"Well I guess we have no choice but to fight." Minako began, but was cut short by Serenity, turning fierce suddenly.

"_No! _We will not fight! Fighting only leads to more bloodshed. If it means everyone can carry on peacefully, than I will gladly sacrifice my own life."

"There's no guarantee he won't try and enslave everyone here, or worse." Makoto defended. "I can't go along with this Serenity. We have a duty to protect-"

"I am your Queen and you will do as I say!" She interrupted. Minako couldn't recall Serenity ever getting so mad at any of them before. She had never seen this side of Serenity, and it broke her heart to see her friend suffering so much. "I have called everyone here to inform them of our decision."

"But it isn't _our _decision. It's _your _decision." Makoto pressed. "This is what we've been training for Serenity! Are you going to let-"Serenity turned her back then, walking to the front of the stage, ignoring anything else Makoto had to say.

"Everyone, I have asked you all to come here tonight to inform you that I have been contacted by what some would call our enemy. He has given us a chance at peaceful resolution. Everyone here knows that is what I have wanted all along, and if given the chance, I would take that route. The only problem is" Minako heard her voice crack, and from the side could see her eyes fill with tears. She watched as Serenity closed her eyes and swallowed hard, her voice sounding calm and confident. "The only problem is that myself, and the Senshi are to leave this planet. Forever." The crowd began to buzz with confusion, some blatantly disagreeing. It seemed Serenity had prepared herself for such a response, just like she had with talking to Minako and the others. She knew now why Rei was so upset. "I am your Queen, and you have all taken a vow to obey me!" Her one declaration silenced everyone.

The sun was almost fully past the horizon now and it was beginning to get dark. Everyone seemed to be in shock, no one had ever seen the Queen act in such a way. Minako was trying to think of some way to talk her out of it when Kid Brooklyn broke rank and approached the Queen. He towered over her short frame and bent slightly, speaking softly into her ear. He must have asked to use the microphone, because she handed it to him, looking confused herself. He cleared his throat before he began, addressing everyone standing before him.

"She's right, you know. We have taken an oath. Taken an oath to obey. But we have also taken an oath to protect our Queen!" He shouted into the microphone, taking everyone off guard. "Our Queen always sacrifices herself for others, always puts others ahead of herself. Well now it's our turn to do the same for her!" An enormous roar spread through the soldiers gathered, fists pumping into the air. Kid Brooklyn carried on with the momentum he had gained with the crowd. "She tries to shoulder everyone's burden alone. Well this is one burden no one can shoulder alone. Stand up my brothers and sisters! Raise your hands and take this weight off her shoulders! The Queen has served her people, now it's time for the people to serve their Queen! Are you with me?!" Another huge roar came from the crowd, accepting his challenge. Serenity had heard enough and rushed across the stage, taking the microphone from her hands, tears flowing down her face.

"_No!" _She screamed into the microphone. "No I won't let you! I am your Queen, and you will do as I say!" Kid Brooklyn stared deep into her eyes, a painful expression crossing his face.

"Then you leave me no choice." He whispered. Minako wouldn't have been able to hear it, and there was no way the crowd could hear him. He pulled his hand up towards his heart, gripping the crescent moon emblem that he had worked so hard to obtain and ripped it off his jacket, letting it fall to the ground. Turning to face the crowd, his voice boomed without the aid of the microphone. "I, Kid Brooklyn, hereby relinquish my title as Field Commander and quit the Queens Guard." He turned slowly, facing his former Queen. "You can't stop a free man from fighting. I'll take them all on, alone, if that's what it takes to protect you." Tears were flowing down his face now as he spoke to Serenity. The crowd grasped what he was doing, and Minako heard material being torn all around her. _This is what it means to be a leader_ she thought to herself, moved by Kid Brooklyn's speech and actions. _All of these people will follow him. _

Serenity dropped to her knees, covering her face with her hands, uncontrollable sobs shaking her entire body. Endymion was at her side again, and leaned in close. Minako had no way of knowing what he said to her over the deafening roar of men and women ready to go to war, but he saw Serenity look up at him, and then out at the crowd. She stared at them for a long time before facing her husband and nodding. She got back to her feet and raised the microphone to her lips. Kid Brooklyn hushed the crowd, noticing she had more to say.

"Your actions have moved me, Brook." She began speaking quietly. "You leave me no choice. Please, stay as Field Commander. We will fight." Minako didn't think the crowd could have gotten any louder, but they managed it somehow, calling out to the sky, ready to lay down their lives so no one would have to suffer.

**A/N: **I have some bad news, but I'll make it quick. In short, I have been laid off from my job and have decided to join the military. That doesn't mean I am giving up on this story, it just means it may be a long time before I can finish it. I don't know when I'll get deployed, so I'll try and finish as many chapters as I can before leaving. With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to continuing this story


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ganymede watched his black hair fall to the floor. _Don't give the enemy anything to grab hold of, especially if it's in your head. _He had seen comrades fall in battle from having long beards, or long hair so anytime he prepared, he made sure to lose anything unnecessary.

"Are you preparing for battle Master?" a woman's voice purred behind him. "You only cut your hair before you fight. Does that mean Sailor Moon didn't accept our terms?" He never expected her to in the first place, only trying to buy time before the inevitable. He turned to face one of his General's, the people he trusted most. Valkyrie greeted him with a toothy smile, menace in her eye. Long golden hair flowed down to the small of her back, bright unnatural teal eyes and a sinister smile; she struck fear into the hearts of her enemies on Planet Nemesis. A blue metal plated bodice that left her shoulders bare clung to her body, revealing her curvy figure. The skirt that matched went halfway down her thigh, leaving her knees bare. He knew from personal experience that she didn't need any more amour than what she was already wearing.

"Make sure your Skeleton Key is functioning properly. It's time to prepare for battle." Ganymede instructed.

"So we _will _get to have some fun. I was hoping you would say that." She purred again, turning her back to him and heading towards the door.

"Tell the other Generals to prepare for battle. Our victory is close at hand." She neither slowed nor acknowledged his request, but he knew it would get done regardless. They called themselves an army, but in reality they were more like men and women backed into a corner with nothing left to lose. He reached his left hand up to run it through is now short hair and stopped halfway. _I'm still not used to this thing. _The scientists within their ranks had discovered a way to harness the dark crystals on Planet Nemesis. They built him this weapon, a prosthetic arm made of dark crystal that held so much destructive power. He watched as his bones inside the crystal clenched and unclenched his fist. The dark crystal ate away at one's life force, so the instant he put this weapon on, he had started the timer to his own death. He no longer felt the pain of wearing it, because the nerve endings had been eaten away by the ever hungry dark crystal within. _Without this, we never would have been able to defeat The Dark Moon Clan. _The scientists who had built the crystal reactor inside of the prosthetic warned him against putting it on. But what was his life compared to those all around him? What else would they have him do? _My life in exchange for the freedom of my people? A small price to pay. _None of his General's knew that the crystal reactor was slowly killing him. If they did know, he had no doubt that they would cut his arm off. Even now as he looked down at what remained of his left arm, he could see parts of the bone being eaten through, exposing the soft marrow beneath. Ganymede wasn't sure how much time he had left, but he didn't have time to waste here.

As soon as he had received word from his spy inside the Queens Guard that they would not agree to his terms, he set the wheels in motion. All ships were now heading towards Earth at full speed. _We should reach their planet right at dawn. _Ganymede had never fought in the sun, let alone felt its warmth and it was something he looked forward too. Ganymede stood to his full height, a little over six feet tall. He wasn't overly muscular like some of his other soldiers, preferring a physique that was better suited for speed and mobility. He ran his right hand, the one that could feel, through his short cropped black hair when his other senses told him of someone approaching. Skills he had been taught, thanks to Aksuna's knowledge of controlling the dark forces of the universe. The door slid open and he didn't need to turn to see who it was, instead feeling their aura.

"Is something bothering you Myst?" He asked the man who had just entered. Turning to face another one of his Generals, the man bowed deeply, going down to one knee, hand over his heart in respect.

"Sir, we will lead the charge and bring defeat to your enemies, just like we always have. I wanted to take this opportunity to say what an honour it has been serving under you." His voice was muffled, due to the cloth wrapped tightly around his face, and most of his body. He preferred concealing himself, even from Ganymede. He wasn't interested in what his past held; only that he was loyal to the cause.

"We'll start the attack with the Droids the Dark Moon Clan left on the ships. Let's see what their forces are capable of before we send in our own." Ganymede informed the kneeling man.

"Always the tactician I see." Myst replied, standing from his bow. "It would be best if none of our soldiers had to fight. Their morale is low from the long journey through space. They don't have much fight left in them."

"I have noticed it too, Myst." Ganymede growled. It angered him that the men and women he had fought beside, the men and women that had suffered so much were now giving up when they were so close to their goal. "No matter, once they see the flames of battle I'm sure they will regain the passion that still burns inside."

-/-*-\-

"We need to ensure the safety of the citizens before anything else." Serenity commanded. The crowd had grown quiet while she, Endymion, the Senshi, and the present Field Commanders discussed their options.

"If we make an announcement for everyone to remain indoors, I can activate their shields remotely from the Control Room." Ami suggested. "That would save time and resources."

"Good." Endymion praised. "Minako, you take Makoto and unlock the armory. Start equipping the soldiers with the weapons inside." Most of the soldiers had no idea that they could infuse the power of the Silver Crystal into a weapon, making it almost indestructible. The blade would never dull or rust and cutting through materials such as steel became almost effortless. Ami had claimed the idea came from what happened to Sol and had built a kind of 'oven' to bath the weapons in.

"So I'll finally get my katana back?" Sol asked. Endymion nodded as a smile spread his face.

"It's been a long time since you got to use that, hasn't it Sol?

"Wait a second" Kid Brooklyn interjected. "Are you saying you have _real _weapons made for each of us that haven't been issued to us already?"

"Yes Brook." Ami replied. "During your training, we watched and observed, taking note of which weapon each of you was most comfortable with. We gave you weapons, but secretly made stronger weapons and stored them in the armoury. You see, these other weapons have much more power than the ones given to you. We couldn't risk letting even one get out of the Kingdom and into the hands of an enemy."

"But right now, we know everyone is fighting on the same side. Rei-chan, I want you to try a meditation ceremony, let's see if we can get some information on our enemy." Serenity told her black haired friend.

"I'll go make the preparations now." Rei said, excusing herself from everyone.

"As for the Field Commanders, by the way, where the hell is Oakley?" Serenity asked Ami. The blue haired girl only shrugged. "We'll just have to make do with the three of you. Help direct traffic towards the armoury, not a lot of people know where it is inside the Palace, so I want you three to make sure everyone stays in line and receives the proper weapon. I'm sure you're all familiar with what weapon each person use's within your own battalion. Endymion and Ami-chan, you'll come with me to the control room. Remember, we don't have a lot of time." Serenity stood from the rest and addressed the crowd. "Everyone listen carefully please. You will go with Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter to be equipped with new, more powerful weapons. It's important that we don't spend too much time on this, so please, just do as your told and everything should run smoothly." While she was talking, Minako and Makoto jumped down from the stage and started directing people towards the palace. Slowly, everyone else fell in line, with Sol, Kid Brooklyn and Veronika helping anyone wondering or taking too long to move.

Serenity took the lead with Endymion and Ami following close behind. She walked as quickly as she could, even breaking into a light jog when the foot traffic allowed. It wasn't long before they could see the large double doors to the control room. The three made haste towards the doors when Serenity could hear crying, coming from her room. She peered down the hallway and saw the door to hers and Endymion's room was ajar slightly. She exchanged a worried look with her loving husband.

"We should go see why she is upset." He urged. This was why she loved him so much; he cared for everyone deeply, but had a very soft spot for his daughter.

"Ami-chan, you go on ahead, we'll be in shortly." Serenity said softly. Her blue haired friend nodded and disappeared behind the large doors to the control room. Serenity's white dress swooshed as she walked closer to their room, Endymion by her side. She pushed the door open the rest of the way to see her young daughter, face buried in a pillow, crying by herself. Serenity's heart ached with concern and she instinctively went to her. Her daughter's large red eyes, swollen from crying looked up at her mother.

"Mama! Papa!" She cried, throwing herself into her mother's open arms. "I'm scared. I didn't know what to do, so I.. So I.."

"Shh" Serenity soothed. "It's alright my Small Lady, Mama and Papa are here to protect you now. We'll make everything better. I promise." She felt her husband's loving hand caress her back as he did the same to Chibi-usa.

"Don't worry sweet heart" Endymion chimed softly. "If we need to, we can always call on Sailor Moon. She has saved us countless times before, and I know she can do it again." Chibi-usa lifted her head off of her mother's lap, cheeks wet from crying but she no longer looked afraid.

"Really?" The young girl asked.

"Of course." Endymion replied. "There isn't anyone Sailor Moon can't beat." The young pink haired girl smiled at her father. "So I need you to be brave while Mama and Papa help save everyone, ok?" Chibi-usa nodded earnestly and Serenity couldn't help herself from leaning over and kissing him lightly.

"Thank you, my love." She whispered into his ear. Serenity knew she should make haste into the Control Room, but instead let herself linger with her family, breathing in the moment.

"Your Highness!" The urgency in Luna's voice couldn't be ignored. Before Serenity could stand and make her way to the door, the small black cat pushed her way through the narrow opening. "The ships! They have started to move. They'll be here by early morning if they maintain the pace they are moving at now." Serenity felt her heart race. _We don't have much time! _

"Thank you Luna. Send out an emergency broadcast, we need to get everyone prepared as soon as possible!"

-/-*-\-

Distributing the weapons to everyone had gone much smoother than Makoto had expected. After receiving the warning that the enemy would be arriving soon, Minako had ordered everyone to get some rest while they still could. Now, she lay in her bed, anxious for the battle ahead. She focused on her breathing, calming her nerves. It was an exercise she had done countless times, but this time she couldn't get herself to relax. She heard the door open quietly and sat up to see Sol coming into her room. He had his own room, but he almost never spent any time there, instead staying with her every night.

Wearing a long green coat that signified him as the new Field Commander of Rolling Thunder, she couldn't help but think how attractive he looked right now. _He just needs to cut that long hair. _Turning to face her after closing the door, she noticed a decorative obi wrapped around his waist, holding his white sheathed katana in place at his hip. The needle work of the roses adorned on the soft cloth was always something Makoto could marvel at. It was like they were alive, swaying softly in a breeze whenever Sol moved.

"I didn't know you still had that." Makoto gestured to his waist while sitting up.

"When Ami put my katana inside the armoury, I asked that she take this as well. I wouldn't want to wear it out on practice swords." Lifting herself off the bed, she made her way towards him. Out of habit, she reached up and let her fingers brush against the small wooden placard above the door. _Cead Mile Failte _was written on it. _One hundred thousand welcomes _Makoto thought absently to herself. The only thing Sol had wanted to take from his home after deciding to join them permanently. She had hated it at first, as it sat above the door, the wood out of place against the crystal backsplash. But she had grown to accept it and finally fall in love with the small ornament. Now she couldn't imagine her room without it.

"C'mon, let's get some rest while we still can." She suggested, pulling him lightly by the hand. They were about to lie down together when an urgent knock rattled their door. The two exchanged concerned glances before she went and answered. She had never seen the young woman before, who bowed deeply before speaking.

"I'm sorry to darken your door like this Sailor Jupiter, but the Queen has requested your presence in the Control Room." She straightened after she finished speaking and saw Sol. "Oh good, you're here too. The Queen has requested your presence as well."

"Very well" Makoto began "we'll be there shortly." The young woman began to fidget with her uniform, looking uncomfortable suddenly. "Is something the matter?" Makoto asked, noticing her unease.

"Well, you see..." The young woman paused before inhaling deeply "I have been ordered to escort you, both of you, to the Control Room immediately. Queens's orders. I`m sorry about this." She spoke quickly, like she had to get all the words out before she lost her nerve. Sol stepped up beside Makoto, his warm hand urging her forward by the small of her back.

"Very well, we will come with you" he said gently with a small smile. The woman visibly relaxed, her stiff demeanor gone as she turned and walked briskly away, expecting them to follow. Makoto had no trouble keeping up; her long legs able to easily keep up with the shorter woman's small strides. They all walked in silence and Makoto began to wonder what this meeting could be about. She finally came to the conclusion that it had to be about the battle that lay ahead. After a short time, they all stood before the large arched double door of the Control Room. Makoto and Sol both waited for the woman to usher them inside, but instead she bowed deeply again and hurried off.

"I guess she's not invited to this party" Sol joked. Makoto ignored his jest, walking up to the entrance and pushing hard on both doors. They swung slowly and silently inward. Inside she only saw Serenity, Endymion, Luna and Artemis. She didn't expect to be the first to arrive and was even more taken aback when Serenity hurried across the room and threw herself into Makoto, wrapping her arms tightly around the tall green eyed woman.

"Mako-chan!" Makoto heard Serenity's voice crack. She didn't have to see her friend's face to know she was crying. She rubbed her shorter friends back gently.

"Oh Serenity"

"Please, call me Usagi-chan for tonight. I want us to go back before all of this." She gestured around the room.

"Ok Usagi-chan." Makoto smiled to her and Serenity smiled back. One by one the other Senshi arrived, having similar greetings to what Makoto had experienced. After all of them were in the room, it wasn't long before the old Usagi came back. She laughed and giggled, teasing her friend's as they teased her back. Makoto saw Sol standing beside Endymion, both men with broad smiles on their faces as they exchanged words. Even Luna seemed to be having fun.

"So Ami-chan" Minako turned towards her blue haired friend when the laughter had died down. "Tell us about this man that convinced you to grow out your hair." They all expected the blue eyed woman to blush and turn away in shyness, but instead she smiled widely, her eyes turning bright.

"Well there is this nurse and-"

"A nurse! Ami-chan I had my suspicions before, but you're growing your hair out for another woman?!" Minako exclaimed excitedly.

"What? No Mina-chan, there are male nurses too. What do you mean you had your suspicions? Suspicions about what?" Ami asked earnestly.

"Um.." The blonde woman began to blush deeply, her cheeks growing dark red. Everyone else burst out into laughter. Minako opened her mouth again but was cut off by an alarm on the large monitor inside the Control Room. The screen lit up with a flashing red boarder.

"That means we only have an hour before Ganymede and his arm arrive." Luna chimed. "Serenity, we need to begin our preparations and fill them in on the battle plans we've laid out." The white haired Queen brushed tears of laughter from her eyes, still smiling as she nodded her agreement.

"Alright everyone" she began with a look of determination. "This is what we've come up with for a plan..."

**A/N: **Sorry it took so long to get the next chapter out; life has been kind of hectic lately. I received some news from the military and I can't begin my enrollment until the New Year, so I have some time to get more chapters out, YAY! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to continuing this story!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"So that's the plan we had in mind. Does anyone object or have any suggestions?" Endymion asked, facing each of them in turn, his gaze landing on Rei last. "Oh and that reminds me, what could you find out about our enemy Rei?" She sighed and crossed her arms, looking frustrated.

"Not much to be honest. Only that there are six of them with a lot of power. Everything else was shrouded in darkness. Also" she turned to face Ami with a look of grave concern "I saw darkness surrounding you, Ami-chan. Please, during the battle, keep Oakley close. He can help protect you." The blue haired woman nodded.

"I'll keep your advice in mind, thank you Rei-chan."

"That is unfortunate that we couldn't find out more about our enemy, but we still have a plan. Unless anyone has objections." Everyone around the room silently shook their heads. "Alright, let's round up the troops. Ami, you link up with the Control Room remotely with your visor and hand held, and keep your battalion on reserve. We'll probably need you, and some of your troops to act as field medics. Mina, don't jump the gun, wait for your chance to strike. Makoto and Rei, you two will be the workhorses in this operation so don't tire yourselves out too fast, rely on your battalions for support." Without saying another word, the Senshi and Sol all stood and departed the control, each with their own role to fulfill.

-/-*-\-

"Sir, the engines can't take much more, we'll be ripped apart if this keeps up!" A panicked voice from the engine room informed Ganymede.

"Cut power to the engines until after we enter the atmosphere. We'll need all the reverse thrusters operational to land safely on Earth." They were close now, so close that he could see the blue planet through the view port windows. It was beautiful, just like the stories said. The sun was so bright, brighter than anything he could have every imagined. _Our victory is at hand. _

"Sir we're being hailed by one of our sister ships." The pilot said with some concern.

"Put it through." A small monitor in front of Ganymede burst to life with static, a muffled voice coming through.

"...Can't keep...Going...Inevitable... An honor... I'm sorry" Was all he heard before the screen went blank. He could put the pieces together. _They're crashing. These ships took too much of a beating from us while attempting to take off so long ago. _Every ship in the fleet was having trouble, it seemed. The weightlessness in the vast emptiness of space had little to no effect on the damages, but the gravity of planets and stars pulled the ships to their extremes. He looked out the starboard side view port, one of the ships breaking away from formation as a huge fire erupted from inside, burning a giant hole through the hull. It slowly descended closer to Earth on too sharp of an angle. Ganymede turned away from the horrific site, bowing his head and closing his eyes. _I'm sorry my brothers and sister. At least you were able to gaze on this blue planet once before your tragic demise. _

"Let Earth's gravity pull us in. Inform all other ships to do the same." Ganymede choked out.

"Aye sir."

-/-*-\-

Sol stood shoulder to shoulder with Veronika, just behind Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars. The two battalions of Rolling Thunder and The Priesthood awaited their enemy. The night sky was still dark with the sun just beginning to peak over the horizon. Suddenly, a fireball crashed into the atmosphere and hurtled towards Earth at incredible speed. Everyone watched as it crashed down silently, too far away to be heard, most likely into the ocean. _Maybe we won't have to fight at all. _Sol thought hopefully.

He could hear rustling of feet behind him and knew everyone was anxious. Waiting was wearing on them, making them doubt their skills. Three more ships appeared in the dim sky, much slower than the first. This time Sol heard whispers and murmurs, and began to get a little anxious himself. He peered over at Veronika who seemed unfazed by the events unfolding before her. Her short frame stood straight and proud, wearing a long dark red jacket with a crescent moon over her heart. She held a long spear that ended with a blade almost a foot long. Most people who were much taller than she was couldn't handle a weapon of that length, but she did so effortlessly. Sol felt sorry for anyone who would face her on the battle field.

One ship broke ranks from the others and seemed to be landing a little further off from the other two, probably in an open space not far from the Palace complex. The other two, which were massive, came down not far away from where everyone stood. _This is it _Sol thought nervously, the landing gear extended to the ground as its thrusters roared, fighting the gravity pulling them down. Finally they settled down on solid land, everyone waited for what seemed like an eternity before a large door opened and a ramp extended down. Sol didn't know what to expect, but he didn't expect these mech warrior looking soldiers emerging from the ship in perfect ranks. They marched in perfect unison, the sound of their footsteps unsettling him even further.

-/-*-\-

"They aren't human" Sailor Mercury informed the other Senshi over their communicators. "I'm scanning them with my visor and there are no signs of life. It looks like if you sever the head or destroy the dark crystal in their chest, you'll render them inoperable."

"How did they acquire so many?" Sailor Mars asked through the small communicator.

"They must have stolen them from The Dark Moon Clan." Sailor Mercury theorized. Something else was bothering her about this. _Why would they send out these drones to fight? Obviously these robots didn't fare well against our enemy, so why have them fight with us? _Unless... "Everyone, I think we need to-" The clear signal she was sending and receiving suddenly turned to static. The enemy must have intercepted their transmission and was now jamming the signal. _But how would they know the frequency? _Sailor Mercury didn't have time to waste on the how right now. She turned to one of her subordinates and he addressed her with a salute.

"Hurry to the front and tell Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars to hold back while fighting. I believe the enemy is using these droids to judge our abilities." The soldier nodded and hurried off. The rest of The Mercs were well back from the front, acting as medics first and a last line of defence if necessary. Still scanning through her visor, it suddenly picked up a disturbance to her right. Sailor Mercury turned, expecting to see enemies approaching from that side as well, but only saw Oakley, standing tall and silent. She noticed something about him she had never seen before. He looked excited, with a small smile on his face. Sailor Mercury looked at his hands and saw him squeezing the handle of his huge axe so hard his knuckles were turning white. _This isn't the Oakley I know. _

"Oakley, are you alright? You look different." She asked the giant of a man. He stiffened almost immediately, but just as quickly seemed to regain his composer, turning back to his usual timid self. He slowly lowered his axe to the ground, looking at her with calm eyes and nodded that everything was ok. But for an instant, Sailor Mercury saw something in those eyes she had never seen before. _Was it malicious intent? _She didn't have time to contemplate the idea as the marching of the droids increased to a sprint. Now the droids were hastening the battle. _The messenger won't get to Jupiter and Mars in time now! _

-/-*-\-

The charge has begun and Sailor Jupiter wasted no time in meeting the enemy head on. Leading her troops with Sailor Mars right beside her, she rushed into battle. The leading droid lifted his arm and aimed at her, firing some kind of dark energy in her direction. Instinctively, she ducked and rolled, knowing Sol was right behind her. As she rolled, she watched him deflect the attack with his katana. Knowing the enemy would try and take advantage of her being off balance; she quickly planted her feet and pushed herself high into the air, watching as another attack landed harmlessly where she had just been. She somersaulted through the air towards the first attacker, landing on its shoulders in a hand stand position. She kicked her legs out and twisted her hips, wrenching the droids head from its body as she finished the somersault, landing back on her feet as it fell to the ground. _The first casualty. _

Many more droids were barreling down on them, some with their own bladed weapons, others firing dark energy blasts into the crowd of soldiers advancing. Still holding the droids head, she charged it with Jupiter's Lightning and threw it into the ranks of the enemy. An explosion fired as it connected with something, whether it be the ground or another droid didn't matter much to her, as long as it destroyed some of these war machines.

"Lightning Accel!" Sailor Jupiter called out, her body suddenly engulfed in electricity. The battle around her seemed to stop, everything frozen in an instant. She lashed out with punches and kicks, the enemy droids breaking apart wherever she struck. Not wanting to drain all of her power right away, she let herself dropout of Lightning Accel, time reverting back to normal as dozens of droids around her exploded or collapsed simultaneously.

She heard a clang of metal on metal right behind her and turned to see that Sol had blocked an attack from a droid she must have missed. He kicked the metal being back and swung his katana at its throat, severing the head from the body. He peered over his shoulder, grinning back at her. She couldn't help herself and grinned back, the two lovers plunging themselves further into the enemy ranks.

-/-*-\-

Right before Sailor Mars met the enemy head on, she forged a sword made from fire in her hand. The blades and weapons fused with the power of the Silver Crystal were powerful, but not as powerful as her flaming sword. Combined with her clairvoyance, the enemy stood little chance before her. Her fiery blade swung and danced among the droids, where she went, the enemy fell, carving out a wedge. Veronika was close behind, and behind her were the rest of The Priesthood, hacking and slashing down droids. She felt more than saw in her mind's eye that a strike was coming from behind. Arching backwards, the sword swung inches above her face. She didn't bother to strike the robot down, knowing Veronika would deal with it. Driving forward, she spun and swung, deflecting attacks and cutting the enemy down effortlessly.

Suddenly, she pushed more Mars Flame into the sword, the blade extending twenty feet long, She let it fly, ripping through steel like a hot knife through butter. Veronika and the rest of her battalion knew this was the signal to retreat to a safe distance. Now with an open space and a little time, she ran to the center of downed droids she had just created. Twirling the flaming sword in one hand like a baton, she bent down to one knee, thrusting the red hot blade into the ground.

"Crimson-" Fire began to spread out in eight different directions from sword embedded in the ground, quickly.

"Column-" Each of the eight tendrils formed a small circle, creating a fifty foot diameter around Sailor Mars. The fire on the ground intensified, the air wavering from the heat. Droids inside the diameter scanned the sudden appearance of the ever growing flame, unsure of its origins.

"Burning!" Each of the eight circles lit up even brighter, flame shooting towards the sky as the quickly grew in size, encircling everyone inside. They continued to grow inwards, burning and melting everything they came into contact with. The roar of the inferno was deafening to anyone on the battlefield. If one could withstand the intense light and heat coming off this blazing column, shooting into the sky, reaching for the heavens, they would see one figure among all the flame, black hair swirling from the powerful currents of fire. Sailor Mars.

The tower of fire died down, wisps of flame dancing in the air. Sailor Mars walked forward, feet kicking up ashes of what once were functioning droids. Nothing remained of the raw materials now, only dust. The sword she had before sprang back to life in her hand as the roar of the advancing Priesthood thundered down from behind. Sailor Mars' battalion had finally seen her true power and were rallying behind their leader, ready to win this battle.

-/-*-\-

Sailor Mercury continued to scan droids as the battle raged on. Trickles of wounded came to the back end, where she was stationed. _Not many wounded and no casualties yet. _But as she continued to scan, abnormalities were beginning to show. Some of the droids were developing self contained shields that protected against all attacks from the weapons fused with The Silver Crystal. This basically made them invincible against everyone except the Senshi. Other droids were gaining and learning skills as the battle waged on. In short, they were adapting. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before the tides of battle shifted in the enemies favour.

-/-*-\-

Sailor Venus and The Cutie Raiders had taken up position behind the droids, hiding amongst the buildings of the complex. She could tell they all waited anxiously, ready to jump into the fray at any moment. When the battle had started, she had begun to wonder if her battalion was even needed, but something had changed in the droids. The charge led by Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars was turning in favour of the droids. Her and her troops were to act as the hammer, with Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars the anvil. But if they were getting pushed back, the anvil would be rendered useless. That left her with no other choice.

"Give the signal Brook, we're going in. Remember, charge in after I attack." The tall man nodded and waved his hand to another soldier behind, informing them it was time. The message would spread quickly down the ranks and Sailor Venus wasted no time. She channeled the power of Venus into her body, letting it fill her body. A soft golden light began to emit from her, a side effect from drawing in so much power.

"Goddess'-" She reached up slowly with her right hand, palm facing the sky as she pulled in more of Venus' Love.

"Passionate-" Closing her fist, she focused on where to attack. Too far towards the front line and she would be taking friendly fire, too far to the back and she wouldn't get maximum casualties. Her arm stiffened, like she was trying to pull the stars from the sky where she stood. Slowly, her arm began to come down with a lot of effort.

"Embrace!" Her arm came down at full speed now, a giant ball of golden energy appearing seemingly out of nowhere above the droids. It shot down like a bullet, crushing anything underneath before coming into contact with the ground. I huge explosion rocked the battlefield in the middle of the enemies ranks, sending dust and debris in every direction. Even where Sailor Venus stood, the shockwave was enough to knock the wind out of her. _Maybe a little too much power. _The cloud of dust kicked up gave them the perfect cover to begin their assault. With a roar The Cutie raiders leapt forward, blades unsheathed and ready for action.

Sailor Venus led the charge, a narrow bladed rapier in hand. She wasn't as skilled with her hands as Sailor Jupiter and hadn't learned to focus her power into a single point like Sailor Mars so she had requested a weapon. Having little experience with a sword, she figured the small light blade of a rapier would be perfect in battle. She could see the backs of the droids now, closing in fast. Kid Brooklyn rushed by her side, his double edged long sword in hand, as they crashed into the enemy at full speed. Sailor Venus put her left hand into the chest of the first droid she encountered, quickly channeling more of Venus' Love

"Love Cannon!" She yelled as the droid was thrown back with incredible force, a hole in its chest where her hand had been a second ago. Another droid quickly took its place, a long blade where its hand should have been slashed out at her. She blocked with the rapier but misjudged the angle, and her weapon was sent flying from her hand, clattering to the ground not far off. Before she had time to react, the droid in front of her was cut almost in half from behind by none other than Kid Brooklyn.

"Now isn't the time to learn how to use a new weapon. Fight with what you know!" He barked as he turned to face another enemy, quickly disposing of it. He cut down three more before she realized what he was trying to tell her.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" A golden chain of heart links appeared in her hands. She swung the chain from side to side, gaining momentum before smashing it down into the first droid that appeared before her, the magical energy of the chain cutting into the droid effortlessly. The thing fell in a heap of useless metal as The Cutie Raiders pushed themselves into the backs of the droids. Now the enemy had nowhere to run with their flank cut off. _The hammer has arrived _she thought was she wiped the chain around another droids neck, pulling it to the ground. She wrenched the chain back severing the head from the body before continuing deeper into the enemy ranks.

-/-*-\-

_Spear from the left _Sailor Mars thought, moving slightly so the spear missed her heart by inches. Veronika's long bladed spear thrust forward from over her shoulder, plunging into the droids mechanical head. _It's almost as if she can read _my _mind. _The two women had worked in perfect unison, creating a wedge that cut deeper and deeper into the enemy ranks. Sometimes the two of them would slow down their advance, even coming to a stop once to let the other soldiers catch up.

"Where they dance, the enemy falls!" Sailor Mars had heard more than once already and it had become the battle call of The Priesthood. Her flaming sword whooshed through the air, cutting down four droids at almost the same time. Her clairvoyance made it impossible for the enemy to land a successful blow. She was mid swing, about to dispatch another droid when a vision hit her. It came with such force that she stopped completely. If Veronika hadn't been by her side, the droid would have struck her down where she stood.

"Sailor Mars, is something wrong?" She heard the familiar voice of her Field Commander, but her eye sight had gone completely to her third eye, her 'seeing' eye. She saw darkness descending from the heavens with a terrible wrath. The vision seemed to play itself in reverse as she saw bodies piled up, covered in ash, mixed with the twisted metal of the droids. _How can this be? _It continued on in reverse, all while Veronika stood her ground, facing off against the droids that would see them both dead. Sailor Mars saw a bolt of dark energy come from above followed by a massive explosion. _Is this was settles the battle? _She wondered. Her vision went even further back and she saw Sailor Mercury, fighting alongside Sailor Jupiter when she was suddenly impaled. She felt her breath catch upon seeing her friend about to die. She forced herself to see who had committed the act and felt her breath catch again before she was pulled back to the present. Blinking her eyes against the sudden change, she stood, fist engulfed in flame.

"Dazzling Blaze!" She yelled, punching her fists together in front of her chest. A jet of fire erupted from her clenched fists, burning through everything it touched. Now that she had bought herself some time, she turned to Veronika.

"Go to Sailor Mercury, she's in danger Veronika! Whatever happens, don't leave her side, do you understand?!" Sailor Mars heard the desperation in her voice, the pleading with her Field Commander. She searched her friend's eyes for any sign of disobeying, but instead she bowed deeply and replied.

"Understood" without another word she turned and ran toward the back of the battle where Sailor Mercury waited. _Hurry Veronika. You're the only one that can save her now. _

-/-*-\-

Sailor Mercury had seen enough, it was time to act. She gathered fifty other soldiers to accompany her into battle while the rest remained as medics. Together the small group ran towards the battle raging on just in front of them. A bolt of lightning announced Sailor Jupiter's presence nearby, so she informed them to head in that direction. They were close enough now that she could make out individuals battling with droids. A select droids had become almost unstoppable against the soldiers of Rolling Thunder and Sailor Jupiter was trying to track them all down. But Sailor Mercury knew using Lightning Accel took its toll on her.

"Split up and lend a hand wherever you're needed, Oakley you come with me!" she had to yell to be heard over the clash of battle. The small group dispersed in different directions with Oakley following her. Finally, she caught site of sailor Jupiter, bent over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. A droid was closing in on her from behind, but she hadn't noticed yet. Sailor Mercury was about to call on her Water when Sol appeared behind the droid, cutting it down with a single stroke. He stayed by her side, defeating any droid that dared venture toward them as Sailor Mercury and Oakley finally came running up.

"You're too tired to continue like this Mako-chan!" Sailor Mercury yelled at her friend.

"This is nothing." Her green eyed friend replied. Sailor Mercury barely heard the response over the clatter of battle all around them.

"Let me help you! Take a break while I handle things here for the time being!" Sailor Jupiter lifted her head to protest, but Sailor Mercury was hearing none of it right now. "Doctors orders!" Without waiting for a reply, she stepped past the tired Sailor Jupiter and addressed Sol. "You stay be her side and make sure she's safe." The tall Irish man nodded. Sailor Mercury readied herself, feeling the moisture in the air. _It won't be enough _she thought calling on the Water of Mercury. She spread her legs for better balance and held her hands out in front of her, palms facing together like she was holding a small ball.

"Torrential-" A mist began to appear on the battlefield around her as she located the droids who had adapted, feeling for them with moisture in the air. The roar of the battle prevented her from hearing Veronika screaming her name. She focused the water vapour on the droids, single them out. She had never done a precision attack like this before and her attention to the task at hand was so focused, she never heard the wailing screams of Veronika. _Only a few more to locate. _Concentrating, she found the last droid who had adapted and pulled more power in, ready to unleash it on the enemy. Suddenly, she was hit from behind, hard enough to send her flying forward. As she was thrown to the ground she heard the sick sound of metal tearing through flesh.

Turning to see what happened she saw Veronika standing where she had been just a moment ago, blood oozing from her mouth. Sailor Mercury's eyes went wide with horror as her gaze instinctively sought out what was the cause. I large spike was protruding from her midsection, blood pouring forth. She moaned in pain as she was slowly lifted from her feet by a large figure standing behind. She followed the handle of the battle axe, held up by one arm. Blood dripped from Veronika's feet as she hovered above the ground before her assailant effortlessly hoisted the large axe with its spike over his shoulder, sending her falling back to the ground with a thud. The menacing smile of Oakley stared back at Sailor Mercury.

"Finally" His deep voiced boomed for the first time. "The charade is over. I can finally let loose on you _Senshi._" The word was venom on his lips, Sailor Mercury couldn't believe what she was seeing, couldn't grasp what was happening right in front of her. _No _she thought helplessly _this can't be happening. Oakley is... Oakley is on our side. _"Now Sailor Mercury, feel the wrath of Ganymede!" He shouted taking a step forward, both hands on his giant axe.

**A/N: **Happy holidays everyone! I know it's a little late to say that, but I hope everyone's Christmas and New Year were filled with joy and wonder! Myself, I enjoyed taking a break from it all and spending time with family. But enough of that, I hope you like this chapter, it seemed to take forever to write.


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